Legend of Sol (Modern Legend of Zelda)

Class sessions were something that Eve savored in a way she could never savor any other times. They were, in most cases, the only times that she could remotely take a breather from looking for Jos; the teachers at the Castleton Academy took very good care to keep a steady on her during class, and most of the time, Eve wasn’t even allowed to assist her with assignments, and especially not examinations.

At the moment, the little fairy was lounging out on Jos’ shoulder, right where she had landed not long before. Only by this point she was lying down on her back with her hands tucked casually beneath her head. Though she wasn’t actively engaged with the girl’s affairs in that moment, she couldn’t do much about having overheard her conversations with Prince Sol. “I think entertaining suitors is a bit of an understatement for what you do with the boys you see,” she said. “Half of them could barely keep up with you and your adventuring. And I think you nearly have the last one a heart attack…. Wasn’t that the ‘sledding’ down Death Mountain Trail?”​

 

Ace looked up at Sol's father happily and laughed, "Of course your majesty, It'd be my pleasure. However, would it be to much to ask for something... non-alcoholic? I'm trying to avoid alcohol because I'd prefer to constantly be in my right mind when I'm ruling over a race entirely of girls... If you know what I mean. Hahahaha!" He gave a deep sigh, but followed up with a question that has been bugging him for a while now, "My king... would you... hypothetically speaking of course, approve of Sol dating another boy? As I said, this is completely hypothetical, but he made a stray comment as he left earlier and I was interested to hear your opinion on this."

 

Ace gladly took the drink and smiled, "Last time I checked, Sol isn't one to tease his guardian and teacher, by commenting on them looking... and I quote, "Lovey Dovey". Sol has always shown an interest in my other student, Josleyn. However, he also seems to view me in the same light. I don't judge, seeing as I'm ruler of an all women race, however flattering as it may be, I'm nearly a decade older then Sol, and I'm also not able to have children. I would gladly give my blessing if he wishes to marry a Gerudo. That is if you allow it of course. It'd be a great step in Hyrulian history, the Princess of Hyrule, a Gerudo! Our nations would equally benefit from this!" Ace exclaimed excitedly.

 

Apparently in better spirits than she had been in the morning, Eve gave a lighthearted chuckle. “Well regardless,” she said, amused, “if you keep running high gear on your dates, then all the guys in Hyrule will be too scared to go out with you. Being the only student to get into more trouble than Hylian soldiers isn’t exactly a flattering reputation to have.” She looked around, making sure that the conversation wasn’t being overheard; talking aloud to someone so well established and acquainted to the Prince wasn’t something that she liked to do, and for Jos’ sake, she liked to keep things low profile. “As for Sol,” she whispered. “He’s the Prince of Hyrule. As soon as word gets out that he needs to have a date, the girls will be all over him.

“Of course, if you ask me, he’d be better off with someone who doesn’t care that he’s Prince of Hyrule.”​

 

"Well I doubt that he'll be very enthused by all the attention he'll get," Eve said with a sigh. "It won't take long for word to get out that he's looking for a date tonight. Poor fellow; Prince Sol has never been much of a social butterfly. He'll probably get driven into hiding in an empty room somewhere, or in the best case he'll be able to lie his way through until he finds the right girl. For his sake, I hope he does." The fairy glanced around, and noted that they were fast approaching Jos' first class of the day. She fluttered her wings rapidly and took off from Jos' shoulder, flying by her side as she walked.

"Of course, I think I'd be best for you to offer to play the role before he gets too stressed. Just think about it." Steadily, Eve began to fall back from Jos. She knew from prior experiences that Castleton Academy professors didn't like for fairy guardians to be with their 'clients' during sessions. "As usual, I'll not be far off. Not that I'll be needed for much of anything. Behave yourself, learn a lot. I'll meet with you when you get out."​

-/-

The woman looked around, pondering the cavernous place she had entered. It was a small path, cut through mountainous rock, lit by torches colored as the flames she had lit outside. From what her eyes could tell, the passage stretched on infinitely, and various branches shot off from the main one. It was a maze, constructed for the sole purpose of throwing off outsiders. "Only a priest of this place will know where the real chamber is," she muttered. But there didn't seem to be any priests nearby, and even of there were, they would recognize her as an intruder. "Can't let that happen, can I?"

With a flick of her staff, she summoned a robe from one of the dead monks just outside of the entryway. Careful to conceal herself beneath it, she wrapped it around her body. She was effectively shaded from view, and as long as she remained discrete, she would have no trouble. All she had to do then was find a priest who could open the chamber she sought.​

-/-

"Lord Eizo! Lord Eizo! LORD EIZO!!"

Kikaro Eizo wheeled around at his trusted lieutenant, Murakami Kansuke. Though his face remained placid in staring the man down, it was clear that he was not enthused by the underling's constant bickering. Kansuke had followed him all the way through Kakariko Village to the stable. "I've already told you, Kansuke," Eizo said firmly. "And my stance remains as strong as at did yesterday."

"But this could be a ploy! The villagers suspect the Gorons of drawing you away!"

"The Gorons are above such treachery," Eizo said. "They would grow violent even with my presence if provoked to it."

"But My Lord you're the only one who can effectively liaison with them without resorting to combat! Of their discontent peaks while you're gone...!"

"ENOUGH!" Eizo ordered forcefully. "Kansuke, I have already bid the Gorons be still while I attend to this business. With them as frightened as they are of the Death Mountain situation, they will understand that I work for their safety as well as that of the other villagers." By then Eizo had mounted his steed, Aratome, and was readying himself for departure. Though he expected no conflict along the way to Castleton, he remained armed with both sword and dagger, as well as his naginata and bow and arrow. "Trust me," he said, now reassuringly. "This is no trickery. I'll be back soon, sure as the wind does blow... Speaking of wind, Heeya Aratome!" With a scissor kick of the legs and a crack of the reins, Aratome burst from the stable in full gallop, leaving Kansuke behind, largely dissatisfied.​

 

Ace laughed at the King's story and finished his drink. "Sounds like a story Jos once told me back when we first met! I bet you she was the girl. Anyway, I've known Josyleyn for quite a while now and she most definitely has something on Sol. I'm not sure if it's a crush, or if she's secretly madly in love with him or something, but I'm sure they'd tell me if something was going on."

Stretching for a bit Ace yawned, "Speaking of which, I have to prepare my next lesson for them. I'm going to be teaching them about archery. A specialty of the Gerudo. May I have your permission to take Sol to the Fortress to train in our training grounds your majesty?"

 

Though her expression was one of slight embarrassment with being talked to like a child, Jos smiled at Eve and waved goodbye. “Yeah,” she said sarcastically as she walked into class. “Din forbid that things get out of hand when someone refuses to read a passage out loud.” It wasn’t particularly funny, but she laughed anyways, if only to justify the comment. Entering the classroom, she found that most of the seats were already taken, and that, fortunately, the teacher had yet to arrive. “Where to sit…” she mused. The few open seats in the classroom were scattered about. Two were left in the front, where the astute scholars flocked to suck up to the teachers. A single seat was left open in the back of the classroom where the self-proclaimed “cool” kids sat. Automatically, Jos drifted towards a seat in the center of the classroom, where the personalities tended to be more balanced.

She fell (more like floated) down into a seat next to a familiar face. “Hey Kurt,” she said happily. “How was your summer?”

“Oh. Hey Jos,” Kurt said, half distracted from making sure his school supplies were ready to go. “It was good. I spent a few weeks in my uncle’s cottage out by Lake Hylia. I trust that you were up to the usual?”

“Oh! You know!” Jos said, throwing Kurt a mischievous smile.

“Settle down class! Settle down!” a voice called over the murmurs of conversation sprouting up in the class. The teacher, seemingly out of nowhere, had just arrived, and was ready to begin class. “Welcome,” he said. “Welcome to Defense Against Dark Magic. In this class, we will be studying the theoretical concepts behind many forms of Dark Magic, and discussing the various ways in which you might defend yourself from falling prey to them.” As though working off of a script, the teacher waited a few seconds as the class moaned about the thought of bookwork. “You may be disappointed to hear that this course will be purely bookwork. HOWEVER,” he continued, now getting most of the class hanging on his words.

“The theory portion of this class will only last for half of the school year. Following your winter break, you will transition into a practical course on Defense Against Dark Magic. The course has been structured this way in order to ensure the safety of you, the students. The school administration, as well as the Castleton Court of Education has deemed it necessary to first have a working theoretical knowledge of Dark Magic before you engage in practical defensive training. I will do what I can to practically expose you to this magic, but bear in mind that my permissions are limited. With that said, please open to the introductory statement in your textbooks. Read it silently to yourself, and then, we will read it aloud and discuss the content.” In a sluggish symphony of movement, the students all removed and opened their textbooks. Another year at Castleton Academy had begun.​