A Journey Through Realms

Chapter Seventeen: Spring of Courage, curse of courage.

-Zelda's pov-

I fell extremely sorry for Ninja, especially Lloyd, who has begged me to look for more information. I want to help but father put his foot down. The calamity is drawing nearer, and my powers still lay dormant.

Today Link and I are headed spring of power. I have tried the spinge of courage already, so my hope is that this will awaken the power inside me.

Link is scheduled to come and take me up to the Spring of Courage very shortly, so I must depart for now.

Your Princess,
Zelda of Hyrule

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Link knocked on my door just as I was finishing up my journal entry. I sighed and stood up. "You can come in, I suppose."

I grabbed my things and put them in my satchel then turned to see him peaking around the door. I could only see his icy blue eyes up, it actually caused me to laugh a little. It isn't usual to see him silly like this, as most of the he is stiff as a board.

"Shall we head out then?" I smiled at him. Sometimes, just seeing him makes me really mad, and other times, I enjoy his company. I don't understand why I feel torn like this.

A short while afterwards I was waiting with Link while our horses were being brought around. I could see Link's eyes darting around the place. "Even here, in the castle, you're still on high alert. Tell me, am I really in that much danger?"

Link shook his head.

silence.

"I see. Well, that is a positive, I suppose." I said quietly.

More silence.

"Link?"

"Hya?" 'Heh, aww.'

"Why do you talk in front of Y/n, but no one else?"

There was a moment of silence, but this time I could tell he was think of what to say.

"I suppose I have to." He answered. When I asked him to explain he said: "Y/n can wield the Sword-that-seals-the-darkness, there is something that we- that I must decipher here."

I hummed and nodded in response. "I hold a feeling that there is more to y/n then meets the eye. It is my belief that y/n has been sent by the goddess Hylia herself, if only father would let me research this farther..." I sighed.

"Link! Princess Zelda!" Lloyd and Zane ran up to us, with the others following behind. "We heard you both are going to pray at a magic spring." Lloyd say.

Zane spoke up. "If it wouldn't inconvenience you two too much, would we be able to tag along?"

"I don't mind at all! Link, you up for that?" I turned to Link. He seemed hesitant. "Oh, Link, go on. After all, they can protect their whole city, no one will possibly harm me with all six of you keeping an eye on me." It worked. Link nodded and we were on our way.

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"I come seeking help... regarding this power that has been handed down over time aswell as guidance on who we call y/n. " Zelda prayed.

"Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away... Or so I've been told all my life... Grandmother heard them—the voices from the spirit realm. And Mother said her own power would develop within me. But I don't hear...or feel anything!" Zelda walked farther into the sacred water.

"Father has told me time and time again... He always says, "Quit wasting your time playing at being a scholar! He doesn't believe me when I say that y/n has been sent to help us, but you sent her, didn't you?" Zelda sighed deeply.

"Curse you..."

"I've spent every day of my life dedicated to praying! I've pleaded to the spirits tied to the ancient gods... And still the holy powers have proven deaf to my devotion. Please just tell me... What is it...?"

...

"What's wrong with me?!"

Behind the desperate princess, Link, Lloyd and the ninja were broken hearted upon hearing this. All five of them had felt this way at some point or other. They might seem all strong and determined, but each one of them has had or still has doubt written throughout their minds.

Self doubt.

No one spoke as Zelda walked out of the Spring of Courage. All thinking about the heavy weights they carry.

If one was to look at this strange group, they would see heros. Brave, strong, courageous heros.

No one of them felt brave in this moment.

"None of us asked for this." Cole said quietly, causing everyone to look at him.

They were standing in a circle, looking at eachother.

"No. We didn't." Zelda agreed. She didn't even need to ask what the others were going through, she just understood. And it seemed everyone felt the same.

"Heh, why is it us young people, who are tasked with saving the world?" Jay asked.

"Only Hylia knows." Link replied.

"You're telling me." Lloyd remarked. Upon seeing Link and Zelda's befuddlment he added: "I was physically aged up to late-teens, I'm actually still twelve... Yikes..."

"My goddess, that must be hard." Zelda replied.

"It must be hard being a magic princess." Lloyd said.

Zelda nodded sadly.

"At some point or other all of us have to face this... This..." Kai started. "Self doubt." Zane finished sadly. Kai continued. "Thanks brother. No on should have to face this self doubt."

Cole sighed. "Especially not when everyone expects us to be perfectly fine. We have to be calm, and act happy, or everyone is worried."

"People expect you to be just like them, but you can't be the same. And you can't be yourself, but you have to be unique."

"People get confused when I act differently, or have different emotions then them."

"And you must remain ahead of everyone's expectations and you cannot fail. You must succeed, because you have no choice. If you don't, everything is your fault."

"And when people look up to you as a leader, you must show no weakness,at all, or FSM forbid everything goes to chaos."

"Being heroic is a large burden, you never know if what you say is wanted, or what people will do or think about what you say. I find it easiest to just stay silent. I miss giving my opinion though."

Everyone looked up when Link said those words. The magnitude of his silence weighing upon them.

"So that's why you're quite, eh pal?" Cole asked gently. Link nodded.

They fell back into silence. But this time, it was wanted. Before long, all were crying.

"I suppose that's the curse of courage." Zane, the only one not (physically) crying, said very sadly.