A/N: This story is based loosely off of "I Hate Everything About You" by Three Day's Grace. Read closely for references to the lyrics. It takes place after the Twilight Princess because let's face it, Link probably was wondering what the hell was going on after the events of Twilight Princess. I know I was.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is not for personal advancement, and is used for nonprofit entertainment only.

WARNINGS: Spoilers for Twilight Princess's ending.

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THE QUEEN

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Zelda.

The Monarch of Hyrule, Ruler of Prosperity, Bearer of Justice, the Everlasting Fountain of Wisdom.

She rules her country with a fair, just hand. Citizens and courtiers alike adore her golden hair, her sapphire eyes lit with a soft, kind gaze, her lips fuller and twice as soft as a rose's petal. Many poems and songs have been recorded of this new prosperity known under her rule.

She is the one I am destined to protect forever, to guide steadily, to give my life for.

My Queen.

They say it is a shame that I complement her, for I am a stone cold killer.

Some say that I, Link, the Commander of the Royal Armies, am desperately smitten. In love with her. They say that on nights when the full moon is brilliant, I enter her private study, and only come out on the morrow, before the dawn broke.

That cannot be further from the truth.

I hate everything about her.

XXX

The stone throne was bedecked in cloths embroidered with jewels for this occasion. Glittering emeralds and rubies lined the delicate scarlet fabrics smoothed on the golden platform; embedded opals twinkled like the heaven's tears in the simple faces of the seat. Above, the granite statue of the three goddesses was restored to its former glory. It was a throne fit for only a goddess.

Assorted pampered, pathetic nobles from the various provinces were stiffly standing around the parameter of the room, all within sight of my comrades' protecting eyes. The chairs assembled for the meeting were only slightly comfortable; the backs were hard wood and the pads for the seat were little more than expensive padding. Every single dignitary was wearing fanciful adornments, sparkling rings, and brilliant silk robes that could supply a poor farmer for years. I knew; I was wearing the same. On my sword's pommel, my fist tightened unconsciously.

With downcast eyes, I stood rigidly like an obedient slave, hands clenched around my sword. Behind me, my steadfast, loyal Knights braced spears on the ground, a gauntleted hand of iron clasped carefully over each of their chests. This was not for pageantry; I expected a felony to be committed, and if it wasn't, then the guard was lucky. We had been waiting here for over fifteen minutes, motionless.

Today, the first annual Conference of Providences was being held in the throne room, by will of Queen Zelda. She had asked for this day weeks ago. She longed for it. I expressed my opinion of the perfect opportunity for an assassination attempt. The Queen ignored me. She continued to rant about a day when all nobles were here to speak their wishes, their hopes and desires for their people. We only could live in tolerable truce. Her exact words in the letters were, "Tyranny no longer reigns. The People must come, to prevent a war from breaking the foundations of our beloved Hyrule from within." Such eloquent words for what would be a short meeting of nobles whining about taxes being raised in the cities for those now homeless in the rural providences. Too many had their own agenda, including the new monarch. It made me sick.

Checking the clock tower, I noticed the minutes were clicking down until the Queen arrived. I scanned the crowd for the fourth time, and saw a handful of people I remembered from my travels: the Gor Elders from Death Mountain, Prince Ralis, a dark-haired Ashei from the North, and a delegation of three from my hometown in Ordon Province. It made me guilty that they would see me like this: cold-hearted and no longer ready to lend a hand to watch goats or rebuild a bridge. I served only one now.

I felt my jaw set in impatience. Where was that woman?

Like summoned by the outraged thoughts in my head, the wide oak doors hidden behind the statue devoted to the Triforce swung open. A trumpeter announced the arrival of the Queen, while curious, judging eyes turned towards the emerging figure. Many hurried to gain a spot to sit, eagerly eying the throne. Like a princess, she stepped across the hard stone floors, heels muffled by the thick scrawls of her cherry ball dress.

As she passed by me, I lifted my shocking blue eyes. Like beacons, her cool eyes surveyed mine. Everyone else faded as electricity crackled between us.

Only her eyes could pierce like that, with her pity reserved only for me. Even as I struggled to keep my face calm, my icy eyes burned, showing only my intensity. She blinked, turning away gracefully, cheeks pale. My heart thumped erratically, and I glanced to the floor. Carefully, I took a quiet, deep breath, calming my infuriated nerves. I could handle this. I had been handling this since I was seventeen.

Smoother than silk, the Queen strode to her adorned throne, daintily gazing at her hushed subjects. Her hair was the sun, soft and tumbling in curls down to her narrow shoulders. The silence reigned as she lifted her chin, gravely acknowledging her "visitors". There were no cheers, but no eyes were diverted away; all were enraptured on her gorgeous essence.

Seething at the awe-struck crowd, I fought the urge to spring from my position, sword in hand, and declare this woman an imposter, a monarch without a soul. Years ago, she had betrayed me. My heart remembered fighting her, the darkness easily usurping her so-called wisdom within a heartbeat. And even if it hadn't been on her own free will, a Queen that could be controlled was not the Queen that could control my heart.

Soft lips parted as she stated, "Welcome. Today, we will address in level terms. Not even a child will be shunned. Whoever has a woe, a worry, a hatred, speak before me. We are all people. We are all Hylian. We will all work through these problems, and emerge stronger." Her head suddenly bowed, and she seemed to compose herself. Every single instinct of mine wanted to put my sword under her chin. I remained immobile.

"I will say this before we call for the provinces and their representatives." Her eyes, the sharpest part of her body, bored into those defenseless down on the cold ballroom floor. "I am truly grateful that we can move on from our differences in region. We will raise our heads like the proud people we are. We will begin anew."

A murmur slithered through the crowd as skeptical glances were exchanged amongst the nobles. The Queen relaxed into her chair, back impossibly straight, smooth chin confident. The milky color of her skin complemented the dark stone of the throne. She was an imposing, dominant figure, yet soft.

XXX

I stood straight for an hour and a half while the Provinces were called to their committees, standing on the blue carpet in front of the Queen. It made me anxious having them so close. My guards constantly checked in with me through hand signals and scouting reports. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except for a late guard check in. I mentally made a note of the recruit's name, and promised myself I would personally visit him.

Once or twice, I glanced at the Queen. Once or twice, she would look at me, eyes breaking down any rebellion I had. It only infuriated me.

"Eldin Province!"

"Lanayru Province!"

"Faron Province!"

"Representatives from the West!"

I tuned out almost every single province; I knew what was coming. It was all about the petty arguments of all people. The Zoran King -Ralis, grown tall and slender- was eloquent in his words, compared to the rough, grateful speech of the Gorons. Crops had been stolen by neighbors, supplies burned to spite people. There were even reports of hidden artifacts found in the different provinces. Ashei harshly said that the supply roads of the north were starting to fail due to the weather. She suggested more craftsman at the base of Zora's Domain, to help with the trading. It all made my head ache. Scribes' robes were being dyed by the wet ink as they continued to scribble all the issues down.

There were nobles with mansions being built along the western shores of Lake Hylia. More complaints of the irrigation and fishing waters being diverted into the Gerudo Desert fueled the already tense fires of politics. There were calls for a stronger enforcement of laws; the lawmaking body was too slow, and the people wanted action. I withstood every bash at the army with a glare at the Queen.

But she took it all in her dominating blue eyes.

"Ordon Province!"

My home. Memories suddenly flashed before my eyes, hurting me with the sudden warmth. Laughing with the younger kids down by the cool, crisp river; racing my horse through the speckled forests, more alive than the wind; practicing my sword with old Rusl…

It was Rusl that encouraged me to return to the Hyrule Castle, to seek the kind of recognition I deserved as a warrior. Anxious, I hadn't told anyone of the way fighting the Queen had made me feel: alone, and broken. Still, the hope kindled warmth in my chest. I had to know. I remembered the day that I left. Every single person in the village had set me off, screaming my name until it was only me under the bright stars. Gazing north, I had been nervous about seeing her again, and what she would ask of me, as a man.

I arrived and was immediately given the position of a Knight. She never spoke to me alone. It was then that I had a baptism by fire, thrust into unwanted politics and routine of war. I became an untrusting person, always worried about how enforcing this law would reflect upon the Queen, not how it would affect the people. I grew to hate the way she consumed my mind when I saw her for minutes in a week. As the years passed, the Queen was beset by the law-making body, just as she still was. Bound, by ideals she hated. In that we were even.

Why was I here, as her protector? She had cut my heart too deep.

Focusing, I saw two elderly men come walking proudly up the stairs. More daring than the others, the committee came up to the second platform, just under our protective barrier. I felt my heart quicken; my hands were shaking. I had to clench them tighter, just knowing what the Queen had wrenched me away from.

One was Bo. The mayor. I still remembered him, after all these years. He was plump, and weary, but stronger than I had ever seen him. He stood stockily with his chin risen, as fine and commanding as Prince Ralis from the Zora. He barked, "Queen Zelda. We have been suffering. I will not repeat what others have said, but I want to know this: what has happened to the valor of the government? What has happened to the courage, the wisdom, and the power? There used to be balance! Now, it is all about the politics, what costs the least, and what young child dies in the end. We are all tough people; we can survive. But what about the future?"

Suddenly, Rusl said softer, "My Queen Zelda. Have you promised all people peace? Is that what they are getting? Are those 'negiotator soldiers' just twiddling their thumbs, awaiting the call? Even they must know what is going on." His eyes flashed to mine, sadly recognizing me, as he turned away, walking back down the stairs into the swarm of politicians.

My heart was silent. I could not relate to this man anymore. Angrily, I glanced at the Queen, expecting her to glower triumphantly, knowing she stole me away from my innocent life. Faster than light, the Queen's eyes flickered to me before onto the next Knight. Like following a trail, intelligent, knowing eyes turned towards me; they knew me from every command issued by the soldiers. I did not twitch from my position.

But the herald was already rushing ahead, anxious to finish, "We have concluded! On the morn of tomorrow, this meeting will continue prior to-"

And in a smattering of glass from a stained rainbow skylight, somebody was falling toward the Queen, a shining knife raised to kill…

They crashed onto my flaring sword instead. I barely caught a glance of furious black eyes before I blocked any emotion. Brutally, I bashed the shrouded person's knees, forcing them to lunge backwards. The person tripped over the top step, crashing down the stairs in a thump of flesh and metal. The nobles closest were screaming, already racing like drowning rats to the back of the room.

I stood in front of her, silhouetted from the rays of dying light. The sword in my grip was humming through my hand; my face was open and lit with rage. Hadn't I told her? Hadn't I warned her? My Knights were up, surrounding us, doing what they were trained to do. One had already grabbed the limp body with the futile ambitions.

For a moment, I wondered what had made me move. I know had heard Zelda's silent scream. I remembered every hit I had taken for her as together, we defeated Ganondorf. And I remembered I hated her. Why hadn't I just let the assassin fall, deliberately destroying the tyrannical government? Without a Queen, democracy could reign again, and be in the peoples' hands. I hated everything about the Queen.

The Queen's fingers threaded into my cloak and her piercing blue eyes searching for mine. It broke me free of my trance. Grabbing her wrist, I thrust her behind me, moving toward our designated safe house; under orders, no one was to enter unless the Queen emerged. None too gently, I forced her in. As the dark shrouded us, sounds immediately were muffled, and I listened, shivering at such close proximity. My hands still held her wrists uncomfortably. She wrenched her grip away from mine, eyes flashing dangerously.

My eyes flew up. In the darkness, she looked like a goddess. Her hair was mussed, her breath slightly fast. I hadn't been this close to her since after defeating Ganondorf. Anger welled up in my chest as I saw her hand come back to smack me, eyes daring me to move. I knew it was coming.

Wickedly, I kissed her.

I couldn't ever recall wanting to kiss her, to hold her delicate body under mine. But now, it was aching in my chest. Why did I ache for her? I hated her! She hated me, despised me more than a human does a cockroach.

But I couldn't move back. Her hands pushed into my armor, fingers futilely gripping for purchase. Unconsciously, my knee pinned her to the wall; my thumbs pressed onto her shoulders. One hand moved to lift her chin, and I continued to force her lips against mine. Force. I was forcing a Queen. My head swam at the implications. I gasped, trying to recoil, but she grabbed my hair and pulled me back, lips parting again.

I nearly threw her off from the burning in my chest, but one of her hands was trailing down my arm, coaxing me closer. I groaned. Through the wood behind us, I could hear the chaos ensuing. I was needed out there. But glancing back at the woman in my arms, I gave up everything.

I hate everything about you, I thought numbly as she kissed my neck, causing me to press her harder against the wall. You hate everything about me.

It was too fast. I growled in her ear, "I hate-" She moaned into my throat, eyes flashing open coyly. The orbs were the color of the sky, of freedom. Her chest was heaving against mine, sliding carelessly as she gasped for air.

My limbs steeled in disbelief as she pulled my head down to her own neck, and I could only think, You love me.

Somewhere between when I took a deep breath of her smell and when I placed my hands on her shoulder blades, I remembered that I had every reason to hate her. All of the piercing gazes, the silence, the wasting away of my youth…

"Link," she gasped, interrupting my train of thought breathlessly, "...I loved you ever since..."

Before I knew it, I was whispering, "Zelda…" and she was kissing me again, her shield of a Queen finally cracking. She was pressing her lips into my soul, my heart...!

I loved her.

XXX

The following week, all of my Knights were sent out with a squadron of elected mediators to solve any problems that the Provinces had. With the threat of actual standby of the Queen's men, many local bureaucrats stepped in to do their actual jobs. The common folk had gotten what they really wanted: the freedom to do what they wanted with the government ready to help with their needs. The quick reaction of the Hylian Knights had reassured the Provinces that the capital was there for them.

The fair-haired Queen emerged victorious and trusted, but somehow different. Those in the town thought it was because of the attempt on her life had finally brought her knowledge to her people. Some think it was the pleas from all of the villagers, begging for her help that made her snap. Whatever it was, she impressed her justice upon the cabinet officials. There was more freedom.

As for her commander, I faded back into the shadows, watching, protecting her.

But I could never hate her.

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