Chapter Text
The training battle between Rauru and Groose had been a fierce one. Groose had gained an early lead and it had been hard to watch a young child become the victim of his attacks. However, despite the odds being stacked against him, a fire had awoken in Rauru's eyes, and it was clear he was determined to win.
"What are you talking about? I have you beat. You might as well surrender," mocked Groose.
"A battle isn't over till it's over. If my father had given up when times were tough, Hyrule would no longer exist," stated Rauru. "So, I'm not giving up until this fight is over and I'm not going to let you win."
Link looked at his son with pride.
Zelda also couldn't help but admire the boy's determination.
This time it was Rauru who struck. He charged at Groose with such great speed, that Groose barely had time to react when Rauru swung his sword. Groose managed to block the strike with his shield, but Rauru just bounced of the shield and struck again. Groose blocked again with his shield, but Rauru again bounced off and continued striking. No matter how much Groose defended, he was unable to strike back. Rauru was swinging his sword so quickly, that Groose's only option was defence. Before long Rauru started to push Groose back with the force of his attack.
The audience couldn't believe what they were seeing. Groose, the top student of the academy was being overpowered by an opponent half his size.
Eventually Groose saw an opening where he could strike back. He took a chance and swung his sword. Groose predicted that Rauru would deflect with his shield, which gave Groose a plan. He would stop his attack just before he hit Rauru's shield, after which he would push Rauru back with his own shield and regain control of the fight.
Unfortunately for Groose, Rauru had another plan.
Instead of blocking the sword with his shield, Rauru met Groose's sword with his own. Rauru hit the guard of Groose sword and twisted his hand in a circular motion, forcing the sword out of Groose's hand and into the air. Rauru then pushed a shocked Groose backwards with his shield.
Groose knew he had to get his sword back or he'd be defenceless, but Rauru wasn't going to let that happen. Rauru put his shield on his back, jumped into the air and grabbed Groose's sword with his free hand. Now Rauru had both swords and Groose had none.
Rauru stepped closer to Groose with a sword in each hand, ready to strike. Thanks to training from his mother, Rauru was also skilled at fighting with two swords. Rauru wanted nothing more than to descend on Groose with great fury and force the brutish student to yield. Rauru was about to do so when he remembered something his mother told him. 'A true warrior fights with honour'.
There was no honour in defeating a defenceless opponent.
He lowered his guard, took Groose's sword by the blade and presented Groose with the grip.
"Here, take it," offered Rauru.
The audience gasped. Many of the students thought Rauru was foolish. The instructors, Zelda and Link on the other hand, knew what Rauru was doing. He was fighting with honour and showing respect to his opponent.
Groose on the other hand didn't see it this way. He saw it as a chance to strike back.
Using his shield, he took the young Gerudo by surprise and pushed him over. Doing so also caused Rauru to drop Groose's sword. Groose retrieved his sword and charged forward. Rauru didn't have a chance to stand, as Groose stepped on Rauru's sword arm, causing the young boy great pain and preventing him from fighting back. Groose reached down and snatched Rauru's sword out of his hand.
Unlike Rauru, Groose had no qualms with fighting an unarmed opponent. Groose crossed the swords into an X and charged forward towards Rauru. Groose stopped only inches away from Rauru's neck.
"What was that you said about not letting me win," Groose gloated.
Applause could be heard from a few students in the audience, but none of the instructors applauded, neither did Zelda or Link. In fact, they seemed appalled by Groose's actions.
Rauru didn't know what to do. The two swords were only inches away from his neck and he had no way to fight back. In addition to this Rauru felt ashamed. Not only had he let himself be defeated by a less skilled opponent, but he had embarrassed his father in front of the Queen. Zelda probably now thought Link had been exaggerating Rauru's skill level. How was Rauru supposed to end this without causing further embarrassment to his father? It was then that Rauru remembered something else his mother had told him. 'Recognise defeat and surrender'. Rauru didn't want to do this, but he knew there was no other option.
Rauru took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said, "I yield."
Groose had a smug grin on his face.
"As I thought, you're nothing but I fraud. I bet you've never won a battle in your life."
Groose removed the swords allowing Rauru to stand.
Groose proceeded to celebrate his victory by bowing to the crowd and saying 'thank you' repeatedly. Only soft clapping could be heard from the students, many of whom didn't know what to think of Groose's victory. As before, the instructors, Zelda and Link were all silent.
Link came into the arena.
"You ok?" Link asked patting Rauru on the back.
"Yeah," sighed Rauru. "Sorry Dad, I failed."
"I wouldn't be so sure," said Link who saw the instructors talking amongst themselves.
Rauru looked over at Zelda expecting to see disappointment on her face. Surprisingly she didn't seem disappointed at all. In fact, she looked excited. What she was eager about, Rauru had no idea, but considering she was looking at the instructors, Rauru had a feeling she was keen to see what their decision was about the match.
Eventually the instructors stopped speaking amongst themselves and the instructor who had been the referee returned to the centre of the arena.
"Fighter's approach," the instructor called.
Groose and Rauru returned to where the match had begun.
"You both fought a good match. You displayed great skill, and you clearly have bright futures as warriors. Unfortunately, there can only be one victor in a fight. And in this fight the victor is…"
Groose stood with his head up high as he awaited to hear his name.
"Rauru," declared the instructor.
Groose's jaw dropped upon hearing these words. Rauru looked equally surprised.
"How can he be the victor?" demanded Groose pointing at Rauru. "I had that little shrimp beat."
"Did you? Because from what I could see, he had you beat until you decided to fight dirty," returned the instructor.
"How is it my fault this kid was stupid enough to lower his guard and hand me my sword back?" asked Groose angrily.
"Rauru was showing respect to his opponent, by giving you a fighting chance. You failed to give him the same respect," stated the instructor.
"Why should I show him any respect? In a real battle an enemy would've done the same," argued Groose.
"So, you're saying we should treat each other the same way our enemies would treat us?" asked the instructor.
Groose didn't know how to respond.
"This wasn't a battle between enemies. All academy training battles are fights between future knights of Hyrule. If we can't show each other respect on the training grounds, how can we fight side by side with each other in a war?" asked the instructor. "Rauru was able to recognise this, and he isn't even a student here at the academy. As a student in the senior class, you should know better."
"What about the fact that he forfeited the match?" argued Groose desperately.
"Rauru was able to recognise his defeat and surrendered. Something you failed to do when he had you beat," answered the instructor.
"So, you're actually saying I lost this match because I refused to show my opponent respect?" asked Groose.
"That is exactly why you lost the match. As you may recall I wanted a clean fight from the both of you. A rule you violated the moment you decided to fight dirty," answered the instructor. "Rauru on the other hand fought with honour and relied solely on skill to win. This demonstrates his ability to show restraint, as I've been told he's inherited a certain ability from his mother that would've made this a very quick match had he decided to use it."
"I still say he lost the match," argued Groose.
"Your inability to recognise your failures is just another reason why you lost the match," retorted the instructor.
"That's a load of garbage," argued Groose.
"Student, I'd advise you watch your tone," warned the instructor curtly.
"I know the real reason he 'won', it's because his daddy is friends with the Queen," Groose accused pointing at Link.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" interjected Zelda who had entered the field and was approaching them.
"Nothing your majesty," said Groose realising there were consequences to what he'd just said.
Zelda approached Groose looking him dead in the eye.
"Really? Because it sounds to me, you're accusing me of caring more about my friend's dignity then I do about the future of Hyrule's Royal Army? This academy was built to help train the best knights possible to defend Hyrule. They don't just teach combat here, they also teach respect and honour. Something you appear to be lacking in. Furthermore, if you hadn't been so busy celebrating your victory, you would've noticed I had nothing to do with the instructor's decision. Keep that in mind the next time you accuse me of tampering with the outcome."
"I'm sorry your majesty," Groose apologised.
"That's better. Now, you have lost this match, due to showing disrespect to your opponent and choosing to fight dishonourably, stand down or I'll have you expelled from the Knights' Academy," Zelda threatened.
Groose took this threat seriously. Zelda could easily expel any student from the academy if she deemed them unfit for Knighthood.
"Yes, your majesty," said Groose defeated.
"Good, now instructor, please continue what you were saying," said Zelda.
"Of course, your highness," said the instructor. "Students, I give you the victor, Rauru of Gerudo Town."
There was an awkward silence amongst the students. They were still unsure of what to think of this fight. On the one hand they felt Groose fought dishonourably, but at the same time some thought Rauru had lost by basically letting Groose win.
Suddenly, clapping could be heard coming from a small group. They looked about Rauru's age and seemed happy about the outcome. This led to more and more students joining in and eventually the entire academy was applauding Rauru, as were Link and Zelda.
Seeing all these people applaud him put a big grin on Rauru's face. For the first time in his life, he felt true acceptance.
With the match over, the academy had to get back to its regular classes. Having witnessed their top student be defeated by a child, albeit a large child, made the instructors realise they were going to have to push their students harder if they wanted to ensure they produced knights strong enough to protect Hyrule. They also realised they were going to have to teach their students more about fighting honourably.
Link, Rauru and Zelda headed back to the castle.
"You did good out there today Rauru. And you're clearly listening to what your mother and I are telling you. You've made me very proud," Link complimented.
Rauru smiled.
"Thanks Dad."
"So, your highness… I mean… Zelda, did I live up to your expectations?" asked Rauru.
"No," she replied. "You exceeded them."
They were about to enter the castle when they heard someone calling from behind.
"YOUR HIGHNESS, SIR LINK!"
They turned and saw an instructor running towards them. He stopped a few feet short and knelt in front of Zelda.
"At ease soldier," said Zelda to which the instructor stood. "Is there something we can help you with?"
"Actually, my question is for Sir Link," said the instructor turning to Link. "Sir Link, we were wondering if your son would like to join my class. I teach the kids in his age group."
Knowing his Dad was more silent in public, Rauru decided to answer for them.
"Sorry, but I think I might be a bit advanced for that class," said Rauru trying to be polite.
"No, no, no, it wouldn't be as a student. We were wondering if you'd like to help us with teaching?" the instructor requested.
"I don't know. I've never taught anyone before and I'm still learning myself," stated Rauru.
"I understand, but I think they'd enjoy learning from someone their age and they respect you a lot for defeating Groose in combat," stated the instructor.
"They do?" queried Rauru.
"Indeed. This probably won't come as a surprise, but Groose isn't well liked by much of the academy students," stated the instructor.
"From the way he was acting I'm not surprised," stated Zelda.
"At any rate, I think the students would really love it, if you helped teach the class," stated the instructor. "What do you say?"
Rauru was still unsure, he wanted to see all Hyrule Castle had to offer before he did anything else. But then Rauru remembered the other reason he and his father had journeyed to Hyrule Castle, to see if he could make some friends.3
"Could I Dad?" asked Rauru, turning to Link.
Seeing how important this was to Rauru, Link smiled and nodded.
"Count me in," said Rauru.
"Excellent, we'll see you when class begins tomorrow morning. I'm sure the Queen can give you details on when everything starts and finishes for the day," said the instructor.
The instructor bowed to Zelda and left.
Zelda, Link and Rauru returned to the castle and went their separate ways with Link and Rauru going back to their room.
"Is there anything else you'd like to do today?" asked Link helping Rauru remove the armour. "It'll have to be something quick, as we still have to fit in a training session today."
"I thought our trip to the academy was the training for today," stated Rauru.
"You really thought I was going to let you off that easily?" asked Link. "We went to the academy to help the instructors get a better idea of their students' strength. Your training will take place with me every afternoon."
"But I'm tired," complained Rauru.
"How can you be tired? That was one match. You've undertaken many matches in a single day and against stronger opponents," stated Link.
"Well, the fight was pretty hard, and I had to wear this armour," complained Rauru.
"Rauru we both know that any of the Gerudo Guards could've beaten Groose in combat, so it shouldn't have been any harder than any fight you've had before," stated Link. "Which begs the question. Why did you struggle so much at the start?"
"Well…" Rauru didn't know how to answer.
"Does it have anything to do with the match we had back in Gerudo Town?" asked Link.
Rauru looked at his father and nodded.
"Rauru you know we weren't trying to discourage you right?" asked Link.
"I know it's just… I've been thinking a lot about what you said that day. I know I seemed to brush it off, but truth is, it's helped me realise how we're different from the Yiga Clan or the monsters that terrorise Hyrule," stated Rauru.
"How's that?" asked Link curiously.
"The Yiga Clan and the monsters, they'll attack without hesitation, and they'll show no mercy to their enemies. We aren't like that, we have respect for our opponents and for each other. Which is why it's important to show respect to our fellow warriors, not just when we're battling alongside each other, but also when we're battling each other," stated Link. "Those monsters we encountered while travelling, they had no respect for other creatures. The Gerudo Guards on the other hand have always shown respect to each other and with me whenever we train together. You showed me the same respect when we had that sparring match and I failed to do the same."
Link smiled and patted Rauru on the head.
"You're learning what it truly means to be a warrior," complimented Link. "You're starting to see that fighting ability is only half of what makes a warrior. The other half is the attitude we bring to battle."
As Link looked at his son with pride, Rauru wondered if now would be a good time to tell Link about the dreams. Once again he decided against it, as today was a good day and he didn't want to ruin it.
Once Rauru had changed back into his regular tunic and trousers, Link repeated his previous question.
"So, is there anything else you'd like to do before we begin afternoon training?"
Rauru looked out a nearby window to look at the town surrounding the castle. They'd walked through the town a few times but hadn't taken anytime to explore.
"Can we look around town? I wanna see how different this place is to Gerudo Town," requested Rauru.
"No problem, but don't get your hopes up to high, this place might be more similar to Gerudo Town then you think," said Link.
They left the castle and headed to town. They spent a while just walking through the streets, giving Rauru all the time he needed to admire the town. Immediately Rauru could see just how different this place was. In Gerudo Town the buildings were predominantly made of stone and the ground was covered with the same dirt that was littered over the desert. Here, on the other hand, the buildings appeared to be made of a variety of materials and there were many pathways made of stone.
Rauru could also see the ways in which the towns were similar. He saw a lot of children running around and playing together, something which was very common to see in Gerudo Town. There were also many shops selling a variety of different items, something common in Gerudo Town. What felt most similar was when they entered the market and saw people selling items at a variety of different tables.
Rauru couldn't help but agree with Link's statement from earlier. Despite this town being very different from Gerudo Town, there were also a lot of similarities.
What truly made this place different for Rauru, however was the people.
Unlike in Gerdo Town where people stared at Rauru with fear and resentment all day, most of the people here didn't seem to mind his presence. Despite being in such a densely populated town, Rauru saw so few people staring at him that it nearly didn't bother him at all.
The people here seemed so welcoming, that even a few market vendors asked Rauru if he'd like to sample some of their products. They showed zero fear of him and seemed as welcoming as Zelda. One vendor offered for him to try something called candy. Rauru stared at it as he'd never seen anything like it before. Then he remembered what Zelda had told him about trying vegetables, so after receiving approval from his dad, Rauru tried the sample. Unlike the vegetables which Rauru enjoyed, he winced on trying the candy. The food was so sweet he didn't know how anyone was supposed to enjoy it. The vendor asked if Rauru would like more. Link offered to pay for some, but Rauru politely declined.
When late afternoon hit, Link told Rauru it was time to head back to the castle. They went to the knights' training area, and they continued their lessons. Many of the other knights stopped what they were doing upon seeing Link and Rauru train. Seeing the hero of Hyrule casually train his son was a rare sight they'd likely never see again. Because of this, much of the Royal Guard decided to observe Link and Rauru's training session. Not just because of how rare the sight was, but many of them also felt they could learn something by observing Link and the instructions he gave Rauru.
Link and Rauru did their best to ignore the other knights, as they knew training was their main priority.
For at least half an hour many knights watched as Link trained with Rauru. The biggest lesson that the knights took from this was that, despite being the hero of legend that had saved Hyrule, it was moments like these that showed Link wasn't all that different from the other Hylian Knights. Not only did he have to train and improve his skill like the other knights but by passing on his knowledge to his son, he was helping train a future defender of Hyrule. Many knights came to the conclusion that, through Link's guidance, Rauru would hopefully become a heroic defender for the land of Hyrule.
There were still a few knights however, that believed Rauru would become the very thing they would have to defend Hyrule from.