#ch.19

"Don't look at them," Zelda was sitting upright and looking straight.

Link looked to the front, the shouts were still in his ears, though, "How am I sucking it up to the nobles, exactly?"

Zelda was a paragon of stillness. Link was halfway expecting to be ignored, "Do not mind them."

Link tried, he actually snickered to a couple of them, "Not to sound childish, but I have a fortune of my own, you know. Nothing to envy yours, Your Highness."

Zelda moved her lips in an attempt to remain impassive, "They don't know that."

"Think they'll like me better if I give them money?"

Zelda made a fist of her left hand, "Li-"

"It's a joke." Zelda glanced at him, "A bad joke, maybe." Ashei walked and winked at Link, she was sitting with a bunch of nobles in a far away table, "I won't mind them if you don't either, deal? It will quiet down, eventually."

Zelda gave a slight nod. She didn't have it in her to tell Link otherwise. Maybe he was right.

Link had known about Dotour Amour from Zelda's letters, and though Link had never seen the man before, just the glares the man was throwing his way were enough to tip Link in.

When it came to the ceremony, everyone watching was silent. Even the ones who had bellowed obsenities before, though Link wasn't sure whether it was because they respected the Princess enough or because the soldiers had taken them out.

Princess Zelda gave a speech about Link's part on her rescue, how she owed him her life and how she wanted to honor his spirit and strenght. Link was given a Lord title, a plot of land he was sure he would be better off without, and the assurance that he was forever a guest of honor of Her Majesty. Dotour Amour had to hang onto his chair to control his tremors.

Lady Tela had offered to honor the Hero with a festival instead of just a ceremony, since The Council thought it a waste of resources to honor just the one man. It had been a concession. Which is why when Link was asked to participate in the Tournament in representation of the Princess he couldn't say no.

Link was good at it, he behaved and only made people fall on their asses. He had gathered a large amount of spectators, and though Zelda was away and looked regal, Link knew she was tense and nervous.

When participant number 16 fell on his butt and the people hollered with laughter in response, chanting for Link, General Timotheus Glop, who had asked Link to participate, slapped him in the back with the delicacy of a Goron.

"You are good, Hero!"

Link was sure the man had been raised by the rock people, Tim - as the General had asked to be called - lacked in finesse and his voice and stature were obscenely big. Link was sure that slap was going to leave a mark.

"Thanks," Link croaked.

"When I asked the Princess for you to participate she was so worried, man, I told her it would be great to let you be known to the people, but she wouldn't hear it, she kept going on about how it could get out of hand and whatnot. She gave me a death glare when I asked you in front of everyone, but look! I was right!"

Link smiled, the roaring that accompanied the next participant only made Tim more excited.

"And you have the moves, Link! I'm gonna ask you to parry with me one of these days!"

Link left without answering. He was thankful Timotheus had his heart in the right place, but he wished the giant had heeded Zelda's advise. Link was sure she was losing her color as the fights progressed.

It was almost a game now, people knew Link was going to win, the challengers met him in the middle of the arena with smiles on their faces, they made a show of the fight to make people laugh.

Link saw William with another young man managing the door to the arena.

And then one of the nobles who were watching Link fight from the sides, the ones who were next to General Glop, asked to participate next and whispers filled the place.

General Glop felt a knot on his throat. Link looked at Zelda, she had her eyes fixed on the man, and Link decided not to risk it.

He walked to General Glop asking for water, "Should I let him win?"

Tim opened his mouth, looked at the nobles nearby.

"You really think you will be able to win against Sir Keen?" said one of them.

The other one scoffed at Link, "You have been fighting nothing but peasants, you should let your ego rest a little. It's okay to go back to Her Majesty before you make a fool of yourself."

Link gulped his water and looked at Tim again, "So? Should I let him win?"

Tim shook his head, "No, I don't think you should."

Link nodded and left to fight, behind him the nobles were still making remarks about his attitude. Tim walked with Link part of the way, "But, like, don't hurt him too much, all right?"

Link nodded, "Yeah, got it."

Link could feel everyone watching, and though he didn't dare look at Zelda again, William and the other man were looking worried enough to let Link realize what this meant.

Link was being put to the test.

Sir Keen was a head taller than Link, and with the armor befitting of a knight he was a sight to behold. But he was nervous and Link could taste it in the air, "Sir Keen, a duel, I take it? Knightly rules and all?"

Sir Keen squinted his eyes, "As if a farmhand would know about them."

Link swung his sword in his hand. Tim was bellowing the new fight and its rules.

"Doesn't matter how I know of them," Rusl was in front of Link, asking him to stand up again, "I just want to make sure we'll fight with those rules in mind."

Sir Keen gave two steps towards Link, Link did the same. The customary greeting marked the beginning of the fight.

"Rules, huh?" Sir Keen raised an eyebrow, "you may be dressed with fancy clothes but you can't wash away the thick R's, can you, Hero?"

Link blushed, he bowed his head and gave a step back. Sir Keen remained stiff and proud.

The people watching were shouting against the both of them. Link tuned them out.

Tim gave out the signal to start, and Link was expecting to have Sir Keen on his face immediatly. But the knight didn't move, "Eager to fight and yet you don't move?"

A chuckle, "A real warrior knows when to wait in a fight."

Link moved with decision, "A real warrior also knows when to attack."

Link's ears were filled with the clamor of the crowd, he couldn't make out any of it, but the moment his sword touched Sir Keen's a high pitched roar was heard everywhere.

Sir Keen opened his eyes and tried to block Link's next movement, but he wasn't ready for the strenght behind it and his left side was left unprotected.

Link touched Sir Keen's side with the side of his sword, "Point for me."

Link breathed out, he focused on his sword and shield. He wouldn't look at Zelda. He was not going to.

Sir Keen muttered under his breath about luck and him not being prepared, but the sound surrounding the arena was making him dizzy.

Tim signaled the beginning of the next round. Sir Keen was running the second after. Link dodged, he twirled his sword in his hand, he dodged again, Sir Keen was breathing heavily and his movements were getting desperate.

Link moved behind him and touched Sir Keen's back, "Point for me."

Link saw William in the distance, his face was the same color as Zelda's, he was looking at Link and the next he was screaming at someone beside him.

Sir Keen was trembling, his hand was twitching when he squeezed his sword.

Link realised that maybe Sir Keen had just been ordered to do this. Why had he waited so long to fight him? Had he doubted his orders? Maybe he had wanted Link to be tired?

It was obvious Sir Keen wasn't used to fighting, he was tired, nervous, and had already forgotten all and any stances for fighting. His moves were sluggish, weak, and Link was sure he was going to pass out any moment now.

"Point for me," Link could hear Sir Keen's breathing, the way his spit filled his mouth. "It's enough, Sir Keen. Say I won," Link whispered, he wanted for this to lay low, it had been a friendly match, there was no point to continue - especially when Link was winning by 10 points against 0.

But when Tim asked the man to finish the match, Sir Keen wheezed, "The last one."

Tim had lost all his energy and good humor, and the crowd was silent and expectant.

Everyone was waiting for a mistake.

Link took position and had Sir Keen howling in his face. One, two, and Sir Keen was on his ass.

Link touched Sir Keen's chest with his sword, "Point for me."

The crowd roared in victory.

Link sheathed his sword and offered his hand for Sir Keen to grab.

"Is it fun?" Sir Keen asked. Link frowned, it was difficult to hear with the shouts around him.

"How does it feel to fuck your way to the top?"

Link tilted his head, "Sir Keen, just let us end this match, will you?"

"A fucking peasant getting all high and mighty, you think that wench will keep you when you fail? She's waiting with us, blondie, one mistake and you'll be out."

Link closed his eyes in frustration, "Really, Sir, please-"

"But she's a real pretty thing, is she not? At least you'll get your fun. Is it any good?"

Link let his hand fall back, "Say that again, will you-"

"Is fucking her good at least? It must be, for you to go to this lenghts for her. A fucking lap dog, they call you."

"You are a real fucking sore loser, you know?"

Sir Keen spat at Link's feet, "You shouldn't be here, you dog. Not even the peasants want you here."

Link shrugged and turned, he was starting to lose his cool, "You know what? I'm leaving."

"Scared now, pretty boy?"

Link breathed in once, "Don't try me."

"Forget the rules and come at me, you fucker."

Link heard a scream and looked up, the crowd was going crazy, shouting and throwing stuff to the guards. Zelda was nowhere to be seen and even Tim was away, trying to calm people in the arena. Link turned to Sir Keen and saw the gleam in his eyes. Desperation.

"You really think you'll make me hit you with that?" Link scoffed.

Sir Keen looked around the arena, he felt the sweat in his body, the tightness of his armor, the way his breath was hot and steamy, and he felt all eyes on him and his one mission.

He ran towards Link and threw sand to Link's eyes.

Link groaned at the sting, he felt Sir Keen's shield bashing him and he rolled backwards. He saw a blur following him, Sir Keen was swinging his sword around.

Link took his boot and threw it at his attacker, he did the same with the other. Sir Keen only paused for a couple of seconds before continuing his pursuit.

Link blinked hard, trying to get his eyes to see better, but there was no use. He took his shield and ran to the blur. The clank was loud and Link planted his feet on the ground. Sir Keen pushed, and Link felt the dirt hurting his feet.

Link lowered a little, moved to the left and grabbed Sir Keen's left arm. Link pulled hard and put his leg between Sir Keen's. The armor crashed to the ground and Sir Keen wailed.

"I hear you talking like that again and I swear to Hylia I'll chop something off. I'm not patient, and you better thank your lucky stars I'm here in name of Her Highness because if it were for me you would be fucking de-"

Link felt himself be pulled. Sir Keen's eyes were big and watery.

"This is what always happens, I tell you."

Link tried to regain his footing, "And she won't do anything, you fool. You and your man dumbness, falling to pretty faces."

Link turned and saw a white head.

"Uh, sir..."

"Off you go," the old man pointed with his chin to a gate, "you go with them, you hear me? Nobody else. Lady Tela and Sir Mikau, all right?"

Link looked to the gate and saw a blur waving at him, "Uh, this way?" Link motioned.

The man grunted and pushed Link.

"Uhm, okay, thanks." The man kept on muttering about Link's dumbness, "Uh, I'm leaving, then."

The old man shook his head at the young man, "Always the same, she won't do anything, boy. You all have to learn that. Dumb boys with thei-"

"Greg!" The old man turned and saw a kid waving frantically. The boy then pointed to the distance, he was whooing along with the crowd.