The smell of professionally cooked salmon, a wild berry crepe, and some nice milk was the only reason why Link woke up. Other than that the stubborn Hylian would've simply yanked the covers over his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He sat up slowly, yawned, then opened his eyes. The platter of food was waiting for him on the bedside table. Next to that was a chair that had some weirdly royal looking clothes laid across it. It wasn't until Link saw the chair that he realized he was inside and it was now noon.

Link blinked and looked around. He was inside the King's- his room. A moment of panic caused Link to jump out of the bed and rip the blankets off. Something clattered on the floor on the other side of the bed and Link dove for it. The small rusty sword was in his hands once again, he was relieved that the sword was still with him. Of course Link knew he couldn't just carry the weapon with him wherever he went, people would think he was crazier than they already thought he was. Luckily though, Bolson had done Link the favor of placing weapon holders in his room. Along the walls replicas of the champions weapons were displayed and, for now, his rusty sword from the past would be displayed alongside them.

A faint knock on the door made Link jump but he collected himself and opened it up. Sidon was standing there. His tall frame could was just an inch shorter than the actual door. The Zora smiled brightly at his friend. He wasn't going to mention the fact that he had found Link crying in his sleep on top of a pile of debris of an old home early that morning. He was simply going to pretend as if he didn't see anything and he didn't carry him in and lay next to him for hours, attempting to soothe the sleep-crying Hylian. "Good morning my friend. Or more, good afternoon!" Sidon allowed himself in as Link sat up. "I've prepared you a meal. I was hoping we would have time to maybe go over some sort of speech or introduction you may give out to the kingdom once you fully acknowledge yourself as the new King. However I don't think that may be a good idea yet." Link grunted and chugged the milk before stuffing the fish in his mouth. He was definitely in some sort of bad mood.

"I laid out some clothes for you," Sidon pointed at the clothes on the chair, "but perhaps today could be a day where the two of us just lounge around and explore the castle?" Another grunt from the Hylian as he pushed the empty plate aside and grabbed the crepe. "While you were asleep I found the part of the library that holds Hyrule's Secrets. Perhaps you and I could read up on it together?" This seemed to spark up Link's attention. His ears perked up slightly, like an adorable little dog!, and he nodded. "Great!" Sidon stood up and nearly yanked Link up to his feet before half-dragging him out to the halls. "Oh, by the way, I have paid off the rest of the debt we owe Bolson and I've hired him to rebuild Castle town! I figured it would make the castle seem a bit more welcoming if there were actual houses surrounding the area." Link only nodded in response but Sidon assumed and hoped that that nod meant Link was a least somewhat excited that Hyrule was slowly rebuilding itself.

The two walked down the halls and stairs. Sidon idly spoke as to not create any awkward silence and Link politely listened. However Link's mind couldn't help wander to his previous encounter. It was kind of a big deal for him. He had learned something about himself. Himself and not his mission. Himself and not the princess. Himself. He wanted more. Maybe the Goddesses would drop down a magic map that held every little significant area of Link's past. He wouldn't mind going out and looking for that.

Link bumped into Sidon with an "oomf!" and stumbled back. Sidon had apparently said something as he began unlocking a rather large door and was looking at him out of the corner of his eye waiting for a response. Link nodded eagerly, hoping that that was satisfactory. Luckily it was. The Zora Prince smiled and stepped aside, allowing Link to enter first.

The smell of old books and a bit of mold filled Link's nose. This room was almost twice the size of Zelda's private study however it didn't seem all that impressive. Both of them expected the floor to be decorated with expensive rugs and perhaps a mahogany table with matching chairs. Maybe the walls would be lined with banners that donned the famous bird-like creature that reappeared in the castle's main decorating. Maybe the shelves would be painted white and gold to make everything look more elegant. Nope. They were in a sad little cobblestone room that had no tables, chairs, or windows. The bookshelves looked like they were on the edge of collapsing and there were some very old and rusty chests scattered about.

"This is...quite cozy don't you think?" Sidon half smiled though it seemed a bit forced. Link had a grimace on his face as he examined the sad and dead looking room. He shook his head no.

"It's gross." The Hylian signed, looking up at Sidon with a hint of attitude. Sidon raised a finger and opened his mouth to say something but a moment later he nodded in agreement. It was admittedly disgusting. There was a nest in the far corner of rats and the moldy walls seemed to have attracted some kind of bug. Without another word Link turned around to walk back the way he came.

There was more silence between the two. Sidon noticed that almost every moment they've spent together as of late was one spent in awkward silence. Obviously it was upsetting him but he didn't want to push Link to talk in any way, shape or form. Once the two parted ways- Link locked himself back in his grand room- Sidon explored the castle on his own.

Roaming the long halls was peaceful. The Zora prince remembered a time long ago when he was just a young boy and these halls were always so busy he needed someone to hold him high up on their shoulders so Sidon could get through. Usually that person would be Mipha. Whenever she had a spare moment she would hoist her brother up onto her shoulders and run around through the halls so Sidon could feel tall among the crowd.

He smiled at the memory of his sister. It has been a while since he's thought of her in such as positive light. Usually Sidon thinks of her death and how he could've prevented it, how the champions could, how the Goddesses could... But now he had something else to think about. How his sister would kneel down and allow the small prince to clamber on her shoulders before she stood and sprinted down the halls. Often she'd end up bumping into the other Champions. Mostly Revali, he always walked the halls with a faraway look in his eyes.

Sidon followed the hallways as it led him up a tower and finally outside. As he continued walking he saw a tower that seemed detached from the rest of the castle. No recollection of him exploring that area popped in his mind so he shrugged and made his way to the mysterious tower. 

There was a sign that was placed above the small doors that read "Zelda's Private Study" Sidon smiled and bowed his head, paying his respects before walking in. The room itself felt like a warm blanket wrapping around you during a particularly cold storm. The smell of old books was more comforting than the smell in the secret Hyrule Castel library. A small stone Goddess statue was in the corner along with a couple of candles and some flowers. the books were stacked on each other so the stood tall and proud. Sidon could only imagine how many nights the Princess must've spent here, reading and praying. There was a book placed neatly on the center of the desk. Sidon picked it up. It was Zelda's diary.

There was a bit of a mental argument Sidon was having with himself. On one hand he wanted to read it. He wanted to live what Zelda experienced and get to know more about what the six heroes had to face. Who knows, he may find some interesting things in there about his sister or Link or maybe some secrets that may lie in Hyrule. On the other hand, however, it may be considered disrespectful to read the private thoughts of the late princess. What if he somehow angers her spirit and he gets punished? Ghosts aren't something of myth. Sidon bit his lip and prayed to the Goddesses for forgiveness before he carefully opened the book and began reading its entries.

His hands shook more and more with every word he read. Every word of Zelda's pain and anguish hit Sidon like an electric arrow to the chest. As a young Zora Sidon had always seen Zelda as a happy and confident young woman and a very formidable ruler. She always explained her plans of how she would better Hyrule once this whole Calamity Ganon thing was over with. Not in a thousand (or in this case a hundred) years would he think that she felt such an overwhelming amount of pressure and failure due to that whole ordeal. 

As Sidon continued reading he realized how much of strained relationship Link and Zelda must've had. She mentioned she felt a bit anxious at how she didn't know what the "chosen hero" thought of her and how he must've despised her. Those passages made him frown. He didn't believe Link had a single hateful bone in his beautiful body. The entries got progressively worse, all leading up to the princess yelling at her knight to her being attacked by the Yiga Clan, then her entries seemed to have changed. Her whole perspective on her appointed knight changed.

The Prince devoured every word, every sentence until he reached the last entry. It was on the day the Calamity had risen. The day of the Princess's birthday. Sidon sighed and set the book down back to its rightful place. Before leaving the study he knelt down and mumbled a silent prayer, wishing Zelda happiness in her afterlife. 

The sun in the sky was now replaced by the moon. It's light made the castle look even more beautiful than it did in the day. But...there was another light, at the top of the castle where the Sanctum was. Sidon squinted, unable to see the figure or the source of the light properly. He quickly headed back inside and grabbed the telescope Sidon assumed Zelda used to look up at the stars. As he peered through the telescope he saw that the light was coming from a jar packed with fairies. Link was holding the jar, just staring at it. Then, the Hylian opened the jar. The pink fairies began flying away. Link then gingerly picked up a handful of Silent Princesses he had on the short wall and allowed the flowers to be carried away by the wind. Link spoke silently, actual speaking. His lips moved as he bowed his head and closed his eyes. Sidon was surprised before he remembered something he had read not too long ago. Zelda had mentioned Link could talk except...he chose not too. The pressure and "all eyes on him" made him feel like he had to stay silent and take the pain and turmoil on all by himself.

It was funny, Sidon always believed the myth that the bloodline of the Heero was cursed. Every new Hero would restricted from speaking at all. He faintly remembered someone telling him that the Goddesses did this so the Hero could never say out loud that he refused to be the Hero and refuse to stop the reoccurring evil. 

Link stood on the wall just outside the Sanctum, watching the light and flowers go farther and farther away. Sidon stood far below, watching Link with a sad smile. 

"Forgive me, Link," Sidon whispered to himself as he began walking back inside the castle so he could head down to the bodies of water below, "but I must be more assertive in my efforts with you. You deserve all the happiness in the world after all." As Sidon walked the image of Link's warm smile appeared and Sidon couldn't help but smile as well.