Chapter One: Truth
Zoey
I sat on the roof of the top astronomy tower, shivering in the cold night air. Set out on the table before me was a series of papers containing my messy scrawl.
I heard the trap door that led up to the roof open. My guardian, Link, appeared. He smiled and shut the door.
"Good evening, Princess." He bowed.
"Oh, Link!" I said, smiling. "You can drop the formalities. We're alone."
He laughed. "I was growing tired of them."
I shivered. "As was I."
His face became concerned. "You're cold." He pulled his cloak off and handed it to me.
I pulled his cloak on. He fastened the two buttons underneath my chin. It smelled like him, pine trees. I inhaled his scent happily.
"Thank you." I returned to my calculations of the star position.
Link sat in the chair next to me. He took one look at the papers and laughed.
"I don't think I could ever understand this." He said.
"I don't think I even do, sometimes." I laughed with him.
He began playing with the ringlets of hair that had fallen out of my hair tie. I wished that my hair could feel his touch.
He is your guardian, nothing more. I felt the need to remind myself of this more and more often as of late. My feelings for him were becoming more romantic by the day.
I yawned. I found it harder to concentrate on the figures with Link's closeness and my tiredness. I pulled my feet up onto my chair and wrapped my arms around my knees.
"Would you like to go to bed?" He asked.
"Not yet. I like it up here. No courters dare bother me."
He chuckled. "They would bother you much more often if they say your personal guardian carrying you to your room tonight."
I giggled. "True. We should go."
He got up and helped me up. I tripped on an uneven stone and nearly fell. He caught me, his arms wrapped around my waist. My cheek was pressed against his chest. I heard his heartbeat.
He sighed. "Princess…"
"Don't call me that." I whispered.
"Princess, you should go to bed now." He whispered back, letting go of me.
I sighed. "Would you be willing to escort me, guardian?"
He nodded and led the way down the tower. Halfway through the castle, a page caught up with us.
"Princess Zelda would like to see you, Princess Zoey, as soon as possible! She's in the library." He cried before running off.
Link led me to the library, not speaking. I didn't dare break the silence. All we heard was the sound of our footsteps and the occasional whispers of late night court conversations.
We entered the library and saw Zelda sitting by the fire, alone. Link and I sat in the chairs across from her.
"Link, Zoey!" She cried. "I've wonderful news!"
Link and I smiled. Zelda was known to overreact, but we tended to play along.
"Prince Charles has asked for my hand in marriage! I'm to be a bride!" She exclaimed.
I hugged her. I knew for a fact that she was enamored with Prince Charles, and I felt happy for her. But this news stirred some of my deepest fears.
How much longer do I have? Before I must marry a man, I do not love?
"Link, please leave us. There are a few matters I must speak of privately with my sister." Zelda said.
Link got up and bowed. "I shall wait for you outside." He left and shut the library door.
Zelda turned back to me. "I know what you're thinking, sister. You're wondering how much longer you have to choose a suitor before Father does for you."
I nodded. She continued. "He told me that we had until our seventeenth birthday, and then he would choose for us."
"Zellie, I need to ask you something."
"Anything you need to ask, feel free, Zoe." She replied, patting my hand.
"Would Sir Link make a suitable suitor?" I asked, afraid of the answer.
"Of course. He's of high birth, although orphaned and penniless. Plus, his bravery and courage are known throughout the kingdom. Why?" She asked, smiling. "Do you feel for him?"
I nodded, relived. "I feel for him extremely. I do not know, however, if he returns my feelings. I was planning on asking him during our trip to the lake tomorrow."
She nodded. "But you'd like to know now, correct?"
"Yes. I'll ask him after this. If he says yes, I'll ask him to speak to Father in the morning. What do you think he'll say?"
She smiled. "He wants us happy. If Link makes you happy…"
"Goodnight, sister." I kissed her cheek. "I love you."
"What you said." We giggled.
Link
I shouldn't have caught her like that. A simple hand on her elbow would've worked. But no, I grabbed her waist. I felt immense anger at myself. Now she's guessed of my affection toward her. And she's telling Zelda so that I may be replaced.
The door opened. Zoey emerged, a shy smile on her lips. I walked towards her.
"Are you ready for bed, Princess?" I asked, offering her my arm.
"Actually, I need to ask you something." She paused, looking around for courtiers.
"We're alone." I said, easing her fears.
"Link… what are your feelings for me?" She asked in a whisper.
I felt my mouth drop in shock. I quickly closed it.
She knows. She thinks I'm a foolish man that thinks he has a chance with the princess.
"You are my charge, I am sworn to you. Nothing more." I said, my voice even. Nothing more than I love you.
A look of pain crossed her face. She covered her face with her hands and ran in the direction of her rooms. I followed her.
She stopped behind a column near her room. When I reached her, I heard her quite sobs.
"Zoey?" I asked in a whisper. She looked up.
"Go away, Link. I've been a fool." She sobbed, burying her face again.
That's the last thing I'm going to do. Right now, I want to take you in my arms and tell you that I love you. I want to calm your fears, dry your tears.
"Zoey. I lied." I whispered, running my hand through her curls.
"When?" She asked, her voice thick with tears.
"When I said I felt nothing for you." I whispered. "I love you, Zoey."
She looked up. Her large light blue eyes stared a hole in my soul. I whipped her tears away with the back of my hand.
"R-Really? Really and truly?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes." I brushed the hair out of her eyes.
"I-I love you too." She said, her voice shaking.
I felt my mouth drop in shock again. She giggled and closed with her hand.
"C-Can I ask your Father for permission to court you?" I choked out.
"I'd be very angry if you didn't. Please, go in the morning." She nearly begged.
I laughed quietly. "Princess," I said with mock formality. "Would you like to retire, now?"
She took my extended arm. "Yes please, guardian. Thank you."
I walked her to her chambers. She stood at the door, looking at me.
"Goodnight, Link." She whispered, opening the door.
"Goodnight, Zoey." I replied as she shut the door.
I awoke the next morning and bathed. I tried brushing my hair, but it didn't help any. I put on my best tunic and headed for the Royal Office, where His Majesty would surely be, preparing for his day.
I knocked. He said, "Come in."
I entered. The king looked up from his papers and smiled. "Link, my boy! What brings you to my office?" He asked, gesturing for me to sit in front of him.
"A request, sire." I said, sitting down.
"What can I do for you, Link?" He smiled.
"I would like permission to court Princess Zoey." I said, keeping my voice as even as possible.
His smile vanished. "Does she know of this request?"
I nodded. "Yes. In fact, she asked me to ask your Highness this morning."
His look became a questioning glare. "She asked?"
"I promise you sire, I have been nothing but the upmost of proper with your daughter. She merely asked me of my feelings and I answered. She replied saying that she felt the same way and wished me to ask your Highness's permission to court her, this morning."
"What was your answer, Link?" He asked, his stare becoming friendlier.
"I love her, Your Majesty. She says she feels the same." I replied, trying my hardest to keep my voice from shaking. My palms were sweaty.
"How much do you love her?"
"She is my sun. Without her, I cannot see a point in living. I want to spend every waking moment of the day at her side. I want to protect her from her fears, protect her from the gossip of courtiers, and most importantly from threats to her life."
The king nodded. He called, "Page!" A young man came running.
"Go to Princess Zoey's chambers and tell her that I'd like to see her as soon as possible."
The page nodded and ran off.
"Link, I am happy that Zoey has found such a fitting match. I was getting worried that I might have to force her hand, something I wished not to do." He smiled.
My heartbeat stopped. "Is that a yes?" I asked.
"Not yet, my boy. I must year Zoey's opinion of you first." He chuckled.
Zoey tentatively knocked on the door. The king laughed and said, "You'd think she's expecting me to say no." He called louder, "Come in!"
Zoey shyly opened the door. She was wearing a green silk dress, her curly hair framing her face. She looked beautiful.
The king saw me staring and laughed. "Well, daughter, come in!"
Zoey walked over to the chair beside me. Her father motioned for her to sit.
"Zoey, do you care for the young man next to you?" He asked.
She nodded.
"I want to hear you say it, Zoey."
"Yes, Father." She replied, blushing.
"How much do you care for him?" He asked, his smile growing wider.
"I can't imagine life without him." She whispered. "It'd be like going without the sun. He's my sun. He's the air I breathe, the food I eat, the water I drink. He is everything."
The king burst out in laughter. "That's what he said about you. 'She is my sun.'" He quoted.
Zoey and I chanced a small smile at each other.
"Link, I give my consent for you to court my Zoey." He said, smiling. "I understand that you were planning on going to Lake Hylia this afternoon?"
He's going to get us a chaperon, of course. I still couldn't contain my joy and being able to be with Zoey. My smile was enormous. Zoey laughed, smiling.
"Have fun." He said, smiling. "You may leave."
Zoey and I left together. When we'd exited the office, I picked her up and spun her around. She giggled like a school girl.
"Can you believe it?" She said when I'd put her down. Courtiers all around the hall were staring at us, but I hardly saw them.
"Your father is possibly the most understanding king in the realm. So yes, in a way I can." She laughed.
I led her to the stable so we could ride out to Lake Hylia early. She rode her stallion, Ebony, while I rode my mare, Epona.
Ebony and Epona. Zoey and Link. The sound of our conjoined names made me smile so big that Zoey laughed.
As we rode out to Lake Hylia, the entire Market stopped to wave or bow at Zoey. She blushed and waved back.
When we'd reached the water side, I tied our horses to a nearby tree to drink and graze. She sat on a large rock and stared out at the water.
I sat next to her and took her gloved hand. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Link…" She said, smiling. "I'm so happy. Only yesterday did I have to remind myself that you were only my guardian, that we could never be more."
I laughed quietly. "Every time I wanted to confess my feelings for you, I'd call you 'Princess' to remind me that you are above my station." I played with a strand of her golden hair.
She smiled sadly. "I can't believe it. I feel like I'm going to wake up and find that this was all a dream."
I frowned, my eyebrows furrowing together. "You're awake, my love. Unless we're in the same beautiful dream."
"My love…" She murmured in her soft voice. "That is true, I suppose." She said louder.
We stared out at the lake for quite some time. She pulled her legs up on the rock and wrapped one of her arms around her knees. I gently held the other.
"Do you remember," she began, "when you were Zelda's gaurdian?"
I nodded. In the beginning of my service to the Royal Family, I had originally been Zelda's guardian. That was nearly seven years ago.
"And she wanted to trade when I received Robert three years later?" She asked.
I nodded again, smiling. Because Zoey was never going to be Queen, her father didn't feel it was necessary for her to have a body guard until she was twelve. Zelda, however, as the crown princess, needed one at the age of nine.
"She had a crush on him for the longest time." She giggled. I laughed with her.
Near noon, we returned to the castle. We had the same fanfare as this morning, the people stopping to show their respect to Zoey. She blushed and nodded, her curls bouncing up and down.
When we'd returned the horses to the stable and reentered the castle, lunch was just about to begin. We quickly entered the dining hall and I sat next to Zoey as I always had. This time, however, everyone looked at me dirtily.
Please don't tell me some of these pompous idiots are actually jealous of me! I mean, it's hard not to love Zoey, but most would love her for her power. I don't.
We had the advantage of eating with opposite hands. I held her left while she held my right, and nobody but Zelda was any the wiser. She saw our intertwined hands on the way to her seat and laughed quite loudly, causing many of the courtiers to frown in confusion.
I wonder how long Prince Charles and Zelda courted. I guess their courtship could be shorter because of the impending war with Castalia.
The king sat at the head of the table, only a seat away from me. He smiled and winked at Zoey and I, causing her easy blush to flare. I laughed quietly, while the king bellowed his laughter.
He tapped his goblet with his fork. Everyone stopped eating and looked at him. He stood.
"I have wonderful news today concerning my wonderful daughter, Princesses Zelda. Princess Zelda is now engaged to Prince Charles of Dorlan."
There was an explosion of applause. Prince Charles was almost as loved in the court as Zelda was. Everyone thought that they would make a wonderful match, as they were marrying for love.
Zelda blushed and said, "Father, please sit down. It's not like this is breaking news or anything." She smiled down at her soup.
"As you wish, Princess." He bowed with mock formality. The entire table burst into laughter as Zelda's blush reddened.
When he'd sat back down, everyone returned to the meal. Zoey merely picked at her food, drinking little.
"Is something wrong, Zoey?" I asked her in a low voice.
"No. Why would there be?" She replied, smiling.
"You're not eating a thing. Do you feel okay?" I rubbed the back of her hand I held with my thumb.
"I'm just not hungry, I suppose." She shrugged and returned to picking at her food.
Her father noticed. "Zoey, is the food not to your liking?" He asked, putting down his fork.
"It's wonderful like always, Father. I just don't feel very well all of a sudden."
I felt my eyebrows furrow together. She was growing paler by the second.
"Do you have any idea why that is, Zoey?" Her father asked, concern clouding his face.
"I took a drink from my cup and suddenly felt sick." She gestured to her nearly empty goblet.
Shock crossed both her father's face and mine. Her eyes closed in pain.
"Link, hand me that cup." He instructed. I passed it to him.
He swirled the contents around. "Poison!" He yelled. Everyone's forks dropped and they turned to stare at the king.
"Someone has poisoned my daughter!" He yelled, standing. "Someone get a doctor!"
Zoey's body grew limp, and we knew that she'd slipped out of consciousness. I felt my face contort in horror and pain.
Who would poison Zoey? I'll kill them, I thought murderously. They deserve to die slow deaths.
There was instant chaos. People all around were shouting, pointing fingers.
"I want to know who did it, and why!" The king shouted, pounding his fist on the table.
Impa stealthy made her way to the king and whispered in his ear. He nodded, his face growing red. She turned to me.
"Pick her up and carry her to her room." She instructed me. I instantly obliged, her legs hanging limply over my arm.
Please, please be okay, Zoey. I prayed as I carried her though the silent castle halls, Impa, Zelda, and the king following me.
AN: Please take the time to review! I really appreciate it! (:
For those of you wondering, Zoey and Zelda are non-identical twins. Zoey is smaller, her hair curly instead of straight. Her eyes are also a lighter shade of blue. Other than that, they look a lot alike.