[ Zelda takes the offered glass and pulls it across the table to her. The first thing she notices about the scent of the rum is not its woody and sweet undertones, but the way it burns when the alcohol vapor hits her nostrils. Oh, that's strong! Much stronger than what the princess usually imbibes. But she's not about to decline the drink. This is important to Darin!
--Who she can tell is still rather nervous. Zelda drops her gaze to her glass in hopes of relieving a bit of the pressure he must be feeling. ]
Well, then you've come to the right person. [ She remarks a soft, rueful laugh. ] I try to visit my father's tomb once a year to pay my respects and Link is always by my side when I do. I've made plenty of these little speeches with an audience.
[ The way Zelda smiles down at her glass is affectionate and melancholy, a look Darin has certainly seen on her face before whenever she talks about her father and the Champions. ]
I try to shut out everything around me and focus only on the grave marker. I picture my father instead; I imagine him the way I remember him in life. Usually I picture him at his desk with books and papers stacked up on either side. [ She chuckles. ] He was always terribly busy.
And then I simply... start talking. I tell him about everything that has happened since I visited him last. The places I've traveled to, the people I've met, the progress we're making in the restoration of Hyrule. I tell him about the research I'm funding and the discoveries the different teams have made.
[ She absently twists her glass in her hand. ] And then I tell him I love him. I tell him how much I miss him. I ask him to keep watching over me, as he did for all those years I was sealed. And when I'm done, I leave him a little offering. [ A smile. ] Last year I left him a Silent Princess. It's my favorite flower. They used to be endangered, but nowadays you can find them everywhere in the wild.
[ Zelda lifts her eyes again to meet Darin's. When she does, it's almost as though she's just now remembering his presence, and she self consciously tucks a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. ]
I suppose it's a lot easier for me to shut out my surroundings because I spent so much of my life doing that during my training, but I hope that is helpful.
no subject
--Who she can tell is still rather nervous. Zelda drops her gaze to her glass in hopes of relieving a bit of the pressure he must be feeling. ]
Well, then you've come to the right person. [ She remarks a soft, rueful laugh. ] I try to visit my father's tomb once a year to pay my respects and Link is always by my side when I do. I've made plenty of these little speeches with an audience.
[ The way Zelda smiles down at her glass is affectionate and melancholy, a look Darin has certainly seen on her face before whenever she talks about her father and the Champions. ]
I try to shut out everything around me and focus only on the grave marker. I picture my father instead; I imagine him the way I remember him in life. Usually I picture him at his desk with books and papers stacked up on either side. [ She chuckles. ] He was always terribly busy.
And then I simply... start talking. I tell him about everything that has happened since I visited him last. The places I've traveled to, the people I've met, the progress we're making in the restoration of Hyrule. I tell him about the research I'm funding and the discoveries the different teams have made.
[ She absently twists her glass in her hand. ] And then I tell him I love him. I tell him how much I miss him. I ask him to keep watching over me, as he did for all those years I was sealed. And when I'm done, I leave him a little offering. [ A smile. ] Last year I left him a Silent Princess. It's my favorite flower. They used to be endangered, but nowadays you can find them everywhere in the wild.
[ Zelda lifts her eyes again to meet Darin's. When she does, it's almost as though she's just now remembering his presence, and she self consciously tucks a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. ]
I suppose it's a lot easier for me to shut out my surroundings because I spent so much of my life doing that during my training, but I hope that is helpful.