The Taste of Peaches

I own nothing related to the Legend of Zelda.

Rated M for later chapters! You have been warned.

It was the middle of November and it could be felt in every corner of the palace of Hyrule. Fires were constantly roaring from the numerous fireplaces and the heaviest blankets had been put on the bed. In fact, the first snow of winter had already blanketed the land. Though it was a light snow, it had come as a surprise to everyone. Princess Zelda was in her room rebuilding her own fire in her fireplace. She also had clothes laid out all over her dresser. It appeared that she was sorting through her clothes and preparing to get of certain garments she no longer wanted.

"Zelda." A voice called to her. Zelda turned around from her dresser to see who voice behind her was. "Your dinner is ready." The voice said.

"Impa, you didn't have to do that. I could have just warmed something up on the stove. You shouldn't fuss over me like that anymore. I'm not a child." Zelda said to her walking over to the doorway where Impa stood. Impa smiled as they walked down the hallway.

"I know, I know. You've scolded me many times. Of course you've scolded me even more in the last few months. I'm sorry Zelda it's just that you know how much trouble I'm having with this." Impa said.

"Impa how many times must we…" Impa cut her off.

"Oh Zelda, you know I couldn't be happier for you and Link and you know how excited and zealous your father is about everything…" Impa drifted in thought a little. "It's still just so hard for me to accept the fact in the blink of an eye you've gone from an infant in my arms to a nearly married woman!" Impa said. The news that Hyrule would finally marry off it's only Princess came eight months prior when King Daltus pulled Link aside on a three day journey with him. In the return of the journey the King granted his blessing for Link to marry Zelda. Link had been waiting for that day to come perhaps even more than Zelda. Daltus had decided that no other man in Hyrule would be worthy of his daughter. Thus, it was settled. King Daltus would have a son-in-law and his daughter would be in legal rights to the throne upon the passing of Daltus.

When Zelda told Impa, Impa was both heart-broken and overjoyed and she hadn't dealt well with the fact that Zelda wasn't a little girl anymore. She couldn't understand that Zelda could take care of herself, she didn't need Impa to hurry after her. And above all, Impa didn't even allow herself to think about the fact that Link could take care or her! How would he know what Zelda needed!? Impa had been with Zelda for 21 years, Link had only been with her 2 years! Impa battled frustration every day. She knew she had to let Zelda go…but it was so hard for her. In fact, when Zelda's wedding gown had arrived a few months prior and Zelda went for her first fitting, Impa cried the entire way home.

"Have you packed yet? You're leaving for your mountain vacation tomorrow." Zelda questioned Impa as they made their way toward the dining room.

"Dear, it's November! Why are you wearing that short robe!? It's too short in fact and you're barefoot! I should get you a blanket you'll chill. And look! That robe is open nearly to your chest!" Impa said panicking.

"Impa! Stop! Please! Now come on, let's go eat together and discuss your trip." Zelda said as calmly as possible getting frustrated with Impa. Zelda had her hands on Impa's shoulders. Impa looked down at Zelda's hand only to be reminded of Zelda's commitment to someone else. It was a beautiful engagement ring, a fine cut blue zora diamond given to Link by none other the Zora King himself. After all the Hylian kingdom had done for the zora people in the past; it was an ideal gift to Zelda. It had been forged at the hands of a master goron craftsman and supposedly the final product blessed with the pure waters of Lake Hylia. "Please Impa, relax. You and my father are going on a lovely trip tomorrow. Let's discuss it over dinner together." Zelda hugged her. Impa sighed.

"I'm sorry, Zelda. You're right. Let's go have dinner and talk about the trip. I also want you to taste a peach wine that I bought from a merchant recently. I thought it might be nice to serve at the wedding. Zelda laughed.

"Impa, the wedding is 16 months away and your priority is wine?" Zelda asked her. Zelda secretly couldn't wait for her father and Impa to leave on their mountain vacation tomorrow. It wasn't really a vacation; it was a trip regarding business matters but would be a nice trip due to its location and the fact they would be gone for 2 days. Zelda was anxious because she had told Link of the plans of Impa and her father. This meant Link would be able to spend the entire day with Zelda without interruption. She knew he would be looking forward to this as well.

Speaking of Link, he was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling seemingly counting the minutes until the next day when he would see Zelda. It wasn't like he got to see her every day even though he was at the palace nearly every day. In fact, it was a luxury when Link got to be with her for more than a couple of hours. It was no one's fault, Zelda was constantly busy handling affairs of Hyrule and ever since Link had fallen in good favor with the King; he had become the principal trainer of the royal archers as well as the head of the royal stables breeding program. He would match up the best possible stallion and mare in order to diversify the gene pool. It was an ideal job for the situation, Zelda would often fix him lunch when she couldn't see him and leave it sitting somewhere where she knew he would find it. Other times, they would actually arrange to have lunch together and sometimes Zelda would finish her daily business early and those were the best of all because she would stay with Link at the stables in the afternoon when all he did was let the horses graze. Even in the approaching cold months, Zelda knew she would continue this routine whenever fate allowed so. Link's position at the palace was held in high esteem, however once he was married to the Princess he would have sole authority over both the matters of the stables and the preparation of elite archers. Link's seemingly drifting thought was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Illia!" he said in shock. Zelda wasn't the only one who had a problem on her hands. Ever since Link had told Illia he was getting married she had been broken hearted. In fact, she was so angry that she had hardly spoken to Link since she learned of his engagement. The truth was that Illia was insanely jealous and angry over the fact that it just had to be 'that stupid spoiled brat' in her words and not her. She would say very hurtful things when the truth was Illia had never even met Zelda. Illia had no right to say things about Zelda that wasn't true despite her jealousy.

"You're not at the palace today doing your important job that you have?" she said sarcastically.

"Come in, please come in. It's cold." Link encouraged her.

"No, I'm just here to tell you that I've decided…that I'll come to your stupid….that I'll come to your wedding." Illia corrected herself sighing out loud. Link was so happy to hear this. He and Zelda had been working on a guest list for some time and Illia blatantly told Link that she refused to come to the ceremony. It hurt Link and it hurt Zelda because she knew how important it was that Illia come to the wedding. It surprised Link that the 20-year-old Illia acted so childish about this. Link was smiling all over.

"Illia I'm so happy that you've…" Illia cut him off.

"I have to go just tell me what gift you want to….I mean tell me what gift SHE wants to receive that she couldn't possibly already have." Illia said turning around to leave. Link's fleeting moment of happiness that Illia was coming to the wedding was just destroyed. He felt his heart sink. But he also realized that he had to stand up to Illila even though he wasn't at all the type for verbal confrontation especially with a female.

"You have to stop this. You have been acting so petty and so bitter and you've been saying awful things and frankly Illia I'm not putting up with it anymore." Link told her. It set Illia off like nothing else. She did as Link had suggested earlier and stepped inside his home and slammed the door. She was both livid and sad.

"It's not fair! It's just not fair, Link. She could have had anyone…anyone in the world…but it just had to be you didn't it!? Didn't it? She just had to reach out her filthy hands and touch you didn't she?" Illia said.

"Illia, I love her! I love her more than I've loved anyone in my life. And what you don't understand is…I never had a chance to marry Zelda until her father said so. And when that day came I was the happiest man alive. And further, when I told you I thought you'd be happy for me too. But now I see that you're just going to try your best to destroy the best thing that has ever happened to me. No one said anything for a moment.

"This isn't easy for me. And I want you to know that I hate her. I don't care if I don't know her, I hate her." Illia said not really backing down from her stance.

"You hurt me so much when you say those things. If I meant anything to you like you say, you would celebrate with me. Illia, you're going to force me to shut you out of me life if you can't be a little more accepting." Link told her. Illia didn't say anything. Deep down she knew she was wrong, but she would never admit it.

So it was obvious, Impa and Illia were having trouble letting go of the ones they loved and they were expressing it in very different ways. But the wedding didn't really matter right now. Link would be with Zelda the next day, they would be together and no one else would really matter.