both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

Honestly where the hell was she? He turned his back for one minute to get things and all of a sudden she'd gone off somewhere. Typical. He hoped she didn't get too far, and he hoped that she wouldn't cause too much trouble. But an... what was she exactly? An imp? Yeah sure, they'd go with that. An imp was an imp and an imp had impish tendencies to get into impish trouble. Which also meant that in some ways, he would almost certainly be responsible for whatever trouble she'd managed to get herself into. Which meant he'd probably have to pay for it. He wasn't paying for it, she could just deal with the consequences of her actions!

Of course, that train of thought went out the window with all the sudden chaos going around him. Overhearing the excited murmurs and gasps, it didn't take him long to realize what was going on. Apparently Princess, or was it Queen now? Had the coronation taken place? Regardless, Zelda was making an appearance, and people were naturally flocking to see their beloved ruler. Hard not to, he imagined. He'd heard a million good things about her but nothing bad. She was a young woman wise beyond her years. Her judgment was just and fair. A ferocity tempered by diplomacy. The greatest beauty in all the world. Yes, over time the image of Zelda given to him was quite positive.

And he was going to catch a glimpse.

He also didn't do well in crowds, so it'd be from the sidelines. Walking down the street, in the opposite direction that everyone else was running, he found himself stopping at a small little stand, selling drinks in the hot summer day. A simple order was given for some cold sun tea. The tea was poured, the sawdust wiped off the ice before being dropped in the drink, and Alex sat his lone self down at a table to watch the procession. Nice and out of the way, away from all the eyeballing that the royalty was about to endure.

But at least he'd get to see if she lived up to anything he'd heard.

both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

Well, the way that she handled the Ordonian managed to explain how she had retained her massive amount of approval despite some events that had occurred. She had a stronger presence in the city, they didn't want to see their monarch hurt. He knew that the Nobles had been particularly worked up into a fit when they found out she had gone to begin with. The people out in the country was a bit lukewarm to her leaving Ordon but in the end, as far as the country was concerned; they were only peasants. Their opinions, at least in this city, meant absoutely nothing. She was also quite the looker too, he'd at least give them that.

Still, that took some time settling in. Midna, that little imp, wasn't lying. Unless she was the one responsible, and that he doubted, then everything she was saying was the truth as to what was happening. That also meant there was something really nasty running around Hyrule. While what had been in the village had been apparently destroyed, it didn't seem to match Midna's description; what if there were more of them? Needless to say, something had to be done about these creatures from... wherever they came from.

And so he made a decision, and a scene. Taking a moment to finish off his tea, he grabbed a napkin, pulled out a quill and inkwell, and scribbled something down real quick while she got to work with that man. With that, he capped the inkwell, put everything away, and stepped out into the road, shoving aside the crowds, and got in the Princess's way. And he refused to move. He'd match any attempt to get around him to keep her there. The height of stupidity, but it would get his point across. He hated causing scenes and hated being the center of attention but well, he knew things she didn't, knew people she didn't. If this thing was going to be stopped, they had to prepare for everything. So, realizing that this would either end in success or potential time in a dungeon, or both. Or maybe getting shot. That would be bad too. He carried on, but he likely wouldn't get another chance to get a hold of her before it attacked again.

And well. good of the realm, and all that, he figured.

"Your highness, I'm Alexander Elessar, a Warden. I have information about Ordon you should know." He remarked softly, holding up the napkin he had previously scribbled on. His eyes trailed to the crowds on the side. Right, they're going to be getting rowdy soon he figured. He hoped Midna got back to him soon. It was honestly about time they got some official aid for this, and about time that the imp stopped hiding around. Still, he held up the napkin, his hastily scribbled message at least legible... probably.



After all, no need to rile everyone else up with a message of doom.

both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

Well that escalated fast. Alex stared down the guard for a bit. There was a bit of refreshment in it though. He expected to get shot but that didn't change the fact that some guards were considered, well, less than brave. Yes, that was the way to put it. However, it seemed like this one was willing to skewer Alex until Zelda stopped the guard and actually read the napkin before coming up with an elaborate lie. So they were friends now? Well, lucky him~ No, really, it was quite lucky. The underlying words that went unsaid revealed the truth but still, to be so openly called a friend of the Princess~

So, giving a pat on the shoulder to the guard who had just previously tried to shiv him with a spear, Alex fell in line with the Princess and kept the pace with the escort. It'd be some time before they got to the castle so they had time to talk about other things. He wondered how the events of Ordon weighed on her. Did they haunt her at night? Was she able to ignore them? The latter was a stupid question, she had glaring reminder only a few seconds past. Still, he'd give her some input, let her know. "You did the right thing, you know." He spoke rather softly. He wasn't sure how she handled it, but he wanted her to know that to him at least, she did well.

He looked over and gave her a soft smile. He was starting to see why people actually liked Zelda at least. Hearing him out was such a small thing, but it was a small thing that helped show that she honestly did care. "You're too precious to all of us." It was the best way he could word it without it coming across as coldly calculating and unfeeling. Zelda presented more than just a ruler and a potential heir, she gave Hyrule a symbol to latch onto. Whether she realized it or not, to lose the Princess again would be a blow he wasn't sure the kingdom would recover from.

both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

Ill prepared, huh? Sounded like the usual story concerning whatever the hell was going on around here. "From what I understand, no one is." Of course, Midna had survived. Zelda had survived. Her knights had survived. They now had a better idea of what to expect. Maybe they'd all be able to put together something to hunt down the source and eradicate it entirely. So how many had this all made? There was Midna's guard wherever she came from, and now Ordon. Two towns, or was where Midna came from a town? Either way, lots of people had been killed and they now were only able to start mobilizing.

Alex shook his head though. Ordon would never shake it off. It would be a black spot in its history that no one would ever forget. A tragedy that all who lived in the village would pass down. Simply put, why would anyone want to name it Ordon? "Don't know if they'd name it Ordon." It hurt too much for many. They had family in Ordon. People they loved, all gone in the span of a single day, that they could never get back. "I think for a lot of people it'll carry too many bad memories." Who could want to call such a cursed place home after the tragedy that took place? Zelda and the others had destroyed the monster, but the damage was already done.

Still, he wondered. If that man was anything to go by, not everyone died. He looked at Zelda again. "Did anyone else survive?" He'd heard no word on Rusl. The fact that he was gone was a bit more chilling than he wanted to admit. There wasn't a Warden alive who didn't know of that man, and the fact that he was gone would surely be felt throughout them all.

both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

The rest of the trip back to the castle was done in silence, but for Alex, it was a comfortable silence anyway. No doubt the town would be ablaze of the human man that Zelda had taken back to her castle, especially after that little stunt. Midna would have no problem finding them from there, that was for sure. Not that the guards could really stop her either. Yes, he expected to notice his shadow was suddenly a little different than what it usually was, and from there he would either introduce her, or she would make herself known in her usual way. For a princess she sure could be pretty pushy... although they always were? Well, pushier than usual for a princess maybe. That might have made more sense.

What Alex did not expect however, was to be taken to her bedroom. He'd honestly expected an emptied out throne room, but this was well, it caught him off guard. In a truly rare moment, Alexander Elessar was utterly flustered. Truly and utterly gobsmacked. He was going to be alone. In the princess's room. With the princess. Alone. "I-I um, y-yeah. This'll... this'll do." He finally managed to get out. Yeah there was no way this wasn't turning into a scandal. Well, good of the realm and all that. Plus hey, there were worse scandals to be at the center of, right? He stepped in, noticing just how completely fancy everything looked. Most of the items in here were worth more than he'd make in a year. Royalty, man.

Deciding to make himself just a little comfortable, he took his vest off, sat down on the edge of her bed, and neatly folded it across his lap. Where to start? "I'll say what I can as I feel others should be left to that someone I mentioned. She'll probably be here soon once the rumors of someone going back to the castle with you start spreading." He looked up for a moment when he realized what he said, waving it away to try and make it make some sense. "Don't worry about her getting in. She can move through shadows. No lock's going to keep her out." So don't even try.

"From what I've gathered, the origin of this mess is a creature that came through this... Twilight Realm." Really it'd been the first he'd heard of it. But the Royal Family had access to the most obscure information, so maybe Zelda knew what it was. "Supposedly this creature massacred a good portion of the population there before coming here." And really, Ziegess would've been the end of it but, "I say there's more because the monster at Ordon, from what a Warden told me, doesn't match the description that my friend gave me." So the first one was still out there. Still, friend? Did he consider Midna a friend now? He looked up at Zelda, awaiting what would surely be questions.

both were silent.

there were ways for kicking and screaming.

We need to stop more people from dying? Alex looked at Zelda like that was the most obvious thing in the world. He blinked once as he soaked it in before nodding solemnly. Yes, this would be a necessary thing. Shameful perhaps, but necessary. He looked the princess right in the eyes and deadpanned the words as bluntly as he possibly could. "No shit." He could practically hear the yowling nobles from the room. How dare someone speak to the princess like that! Or even use such language in her presence! She was no commoner, she was no peasant! She was be treated with all the respect that one gave a divine monarchy!

He was about to continue when there had been a knock at the door, and a familiar (well, to Zelda) voice called out. Apparently they hadn't been alone. "Your highness, when you and your, erm, friend, yes? Yes! When you and your friend are finished, there is a... Link here from Ordon to see you about an invitation?" He sounded positively giddy! Oh yes, the Court mage was totally going to float on over to Ashe and tell her about Zelda's visitor, it was so nice for the Princess to be meeting people! "Shall I tell him you are, um, preoccupied?" After all, it was so rare for her to be doing something that wasn't work related, she should get a break~

"So he survived then." Alex observed. Well, there was someone that he recognized anyway. "If you're going to go, mind if I go with you? I met the guy when Ordon came under attack by a different threat." It'd be good to see the guy again, thank him for letting Alex crash at his house while recovering, maybe rip on him a bit for having gone all the way back to Ordon to light a fire instead of grabbing a goddamn torch. Good times. Midna would be able to find them. Maybe it'd be long enough for Midna to catch up to him.