(A/N) This is a sequel to Soft Stone. I felt it would only be right to write a similar story but from Link's perspective, a story about Zelda. So here it is.
Zelda was a complicated person, one who commanded respect, one with whom a sane person would not trifle. She was, dare I say, terrifying.
That said, there were two people to be considered - Zelda Harkinian, my wife, and Zelda Harkinian, the queen of Hyrule. Goddesses, were I some foreigner passing through the kingdom, I would never be able to guess that she could be so... real.
I had known Zelda from a young age. Hyrule had been peaceful and prosperous for centuries. It was uneasy - Ganondorf had been expected to return eventually yet never did - but the people were never going to complain about that. Our childhood had been a progressive time in the kingdom. She had been allowed to exit and enter the castle as she pleased; by her 15th birthday she could even leave without a guard. She socialized with us commoners freely and her father, the king Daphnes Harkinian, had no qualms about it as she was never threatened. I still remember the day we met like it were yesterday.
"Hi," she chirped. "I'm Zelda. What's your name?" She was all smiles.
I bowed yet knew not to be overly formal - she hated that, even then. "Link. Link Kokiri," I managed. Never have been much of a talker, except around her.
"Oh, I recognize you. You're training to be a knight. I've seen you training in the courtyard." I simply raised my eyebrow in interest. "What? I can only study for so long before I need fresh air. Don't you dare think I can stand that all day. I can't be much older than you, if even at all. How old are you, anyways?"
I could only sigh sadly. "I was orphaned when I was very young. Never knew my parents. They never left any clue as to my age. How old are you?"
"It's a shame you never got to know them. Me? I'm 16 and a half. You look like you're a little older than me," she told me, looking up ever so slightly to gaze into my eyes. Her eyes were big blue orbs full of innocence and yet, incredible wisdom. "Seventeen, maybe. Let's go with that. You, Link Kokiri, are seventeen years old."
I smiled widely. "As you wish, Zelda."
"I imagine you don't know your birthday either," she said. I shook my head, my smile replaced by a sullen look at the dirt. She smiled again. "I know. We'll say today - Septi 20.* It happens to be my half-birthday. It'll be easy to remember, too." She narrowed her eyes at me. "You're half a year older than me."
I smirked. "Your choice, Zelda." She then made this adorable pouting face that made my heart quicken for a moment.
"So what are you doing in town," she asked.
"Just enjoying a day off from training. You?"
"Same. Walk with me?"
"Anything you say, fair princess," I replied. I had meant it as a joke and for a moment, she seemed slightly offended. "I..."
"I normally would be upset with you hinting at my title when I'm out enjoying myself like this, but it feels...good to hear you say that. You can call me that." I let out the breath I'd been holding.
I offered her my elbow, as I had always been taught to do. "Let's go then," I said. She didn't take it, her face scrunched up in a pretty frown. I was about to say something when she grabbed my hand instead and wove her fingers into mine. I swallowed, trying to suppress a shiver at the contact.
"Better," she said, flashing me a gorgeous smile. I raised an eyebrow again, a smirk on my lips. "I'm a girl enjoying a day in the town, not a princess. Now let's go."
We walked around some, immersed in light, friendly chat and laughing at various antics of the marketplace and its inhabitants.
Around an hour later, Zelda said, "I should be going back to the castle. I have an archery lesson soon."
"Allow me to escort you back. It's too loud here," I said, my ears ringing slightly from all of the commotion. "I want to practice my swordplay anyways."
She smiled mischievously. "I was going to make you escort me anyways."
"As the lady wishes," I joked.
As we neared the entrance to the castle, I disentangled my hand from hers. "Barracks are that way," I said, waving my hand to my right, away from the entrance. "So... I'll see you around?" I tried not to sound too eager.
"Certainly, Sir Link," she said, mirth in her eyes. I blushed and smiled bashfully.
"Well, until then," I said. "Good after..." I was cut short as she kissed my cheek.
Her blue eyes were wide, begging. "Soon, okay? Please? I really enjoyed our walk."
My face burned crimson. "Um...sure...I'll...be...going now," I somehow managed, then walking away as fast as I could from the embarrassing situation. I could heard her sweet laugh chasing me all the way to the barracks, my cheeks redder than the deepest rose.
I began to court her a month later and it was wonderful. She made it clear that it was not a problem - law said that she could court, and eventually marry (she added that quite mischievously), whomever she wished. So we were not a commoner and a princess but two teenagers as it ought to be. I was a nervous wreck around her, especially when I would go get her at the entrance to the castle, and she always teased me for it.
I still remember our first real kiss. I had taken her to Lake Hylia for a picnic. We had been joking around and having a wonderful time. It was just before we rode back to the castle.
"Thanks for bringing me here," she said with a smile. We were lying on the blanket, looking up at the clouds.
"You're welcome," I replied.
"I really love spending time with you," she told me. "You're really sweet."
"You are too, Zel," I replied.
"I think you might be my knight in shining armor," she said.
"Ah, but I'm not a knight just yet. Still a squire," I said smartly, smirking.
Without warning, she leaned over and kissed me, her lips making soft, sweet contact with mine. It was one of those storybook kisses, the ones that feel like a bolt of lightning. My hand automatically went to her cheek, caressing it as I returned the kiss.
"My blessing for your knighthood," she said. "One day, Link." She smiled at me.
I took up music a few months later, mostly because Zelda wanted me to try. She supplied me with an ocarina and some books from the royal library. I caught on surprisingly quickly and was soon improvising my own melodies. Using more books, I taught myself to play by ear as well as the discipline of music theory and composition. I often performed for her, to her great delight. More often than not, I felt bitter, as if my playing was inadequate for my fair princess. She always consoled me, however, genuinely telling me I was wonderful. Nonetheless, I kept practicing diligently and improved vastly.
"Link," she said, finding me out of the blue one day. "I have exciting news for you!" She flashed a scroll in my face. "I did some research in the library and found this!"
I unrolled it. It was a record of my birth. "Lincoln Kokiri," I read, "born on the twentieth day of Septi of this year of the Golden Three, three thousand, five hundred fifty." I stared at Zelda then at the scroll once again.
"Zelda..."
"Now we know your age," she said. "It's 3567 ATA** so you are seventeen."
"And you guessed my birthday right," I said in awe. I narrowed my eyes at her, smirking. "You're sure you just found this?" She nodded. "Sure, Zelda."
"I swear to Nayru I did," she exclaimed, blushing. I rolled my eyes and kissed her. "Goddesses," she grumbled. I feathered her with light kisses until she began laughing and kissed me back.
That information came in handy when I was knighted. And when I was wed to Zelda a few years later. And the coronation shortly thereafter.
She never has ceased to amaze me with beauty, both physical and in behavior. She is kind and fair, brutally so. She acts with such grace when required to do so and yet privately retains the youthful humor she had when we met. She's still humble, preferring that people avoid excessive formality outside of the castle/royal affairs. It makes me so happy to see her, still so grounded and kind, despite her social status as queen. As one of common birth, I am but a consort. But that is fine by me. I don't envy having all of those royal duties, especially aside from caring for our young daughter, Zelda XXI. She has my disposition but the beauty of her mother. She is as humble as her mother, partially due to my... lecturing. I am confident she will be as good a ruler as her mother, my fair lady.
(A/N) Well that does it for this sequel to Soft Stone. It's longer because I imagine Link, ever the quiet one, to express himself through other means, like writing.
*In this story, there are 12 months to the Hylian year - Primari, Secundari, Terceri, Quarti, Quinti, Septi, Octavi, Noveni, Decimi, Undecimi, and Duodecimi. Each month has 30 days, totaling 360 in a year. Each month is also divided into five weeks of six days apiece, making sixty weeks per year.
**This comes from the Latin (at least Google translate Latin) for "in the year of the Golden Three" like how well have AD (anno Domini - in the year of our Lord) in the real world.