"Link?" Zelda asked one afternoon. "What is this?"
"It's a dog," he smiled back at her.
"I see that," she pursed her lips. "Why is there a dog in the castle?"
"It was abandoned on the streets," Link explained.
Zelda raised her eyebrows.
"And it was hungry, so I brought it back here to feed it."
Zelda sighed, "Just this once, alright? I know how you get with animals, and I will not have this castle overrun with stray animals."
Link frowned as if she had insulted the dog, "It wouldn't get overrun."
She fixed him with a disbelieving look.
"It wouldn't."
"But there's stables and fields for the horses," Link argued. "This wouldn't be any different."
"We don't have the room to house dozens of small animals," Zelda countered. "We have no structure for them, no space, and we would have to keep them separated from the horses."
"What if it wasn't on the castle grounds?" he asked. "We could build a shelter in the city. There's already been talk of expanding past the city walls. This could be the start of that."
"Then you would have to speak with Castletown leadership," Zelda consented.
"Well, my sway as Prince Consort will finally come in handy."
"Link, you know I dislike cats," Zelda huffed as a feline curled around her legs, peered up at her, and gave a loud meow.
"Really?" Link frowned as he pet another cat behind the ears. "I thought it was just Louise since she stepped in your food that one time."
"No, I dislike all cats," she frowned back as yet another cat hopped on a nearby table. "They are so cold and stand-offish. At least dogs desire to see you and are happy once in a while."
"Yes, I do agree that dogs are better," Link smiled knowingly. "But cats aren't all bad."
Yet another cat padded their way across the desk, knocking over Zelda's tea and leaving wet footprints all over the books and documents laid across the surface.
"I thought this would be a great way to advocate for a shelter," Link apologized as he picked up the offending cat off the desk. "There is a real problem in Castletown with homeless animals. If we can get them off the streets and into a proper home, then it will benefit everyone in town. Diseases transmitted by animals will decrease, and the threat of feral or dangerous animals will go down as well. The city will become a safer and healthier place."
"I wholeheartedly agree, my love," Zelda smiled. "I've seen all the research you've done on this topic. I'm sure the city council will agree to your proposal."
"Here's hoping," he sighed. "It'll take a lot of money to build a whole animal shelter. But the jobs it will create should outweigh some of those cons."
"So you're ready for your presentation tonight?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Link stood, that determined look in his eyes. "But will you help me move all these cats?"
Zelda rolled her eyes but spent the next two hours wrangling cats anyway.
"This is it," Zelda smiled as they walked to the new development outside the city wall. "Less than a year and it's opening."
"I know," Link was practically bouncing as he walked. "This is my first big project as Prince Consort, and it was so successful. The council told me it came in under budget, too. Can you believe it?"
"Of course I can believe it," she smiled at her husband. "You were heading this project."
They arrived at the grand opening of the Castletown Animal Shelter. For once, Zelda took a step back and let her husband take the spotlight as he cut the red ribbon in front of the entrance and led tours of the interior.
"You must be so proud," Rusl smiled at the Queen. "Link is always trying to help others, even the smallest, forgotten animals. I'm glad he finally found a way to channel his desire to help the community."
"As am I," Zelda nodded. "Otherwise my castle would be overrun with stray animals."
"It would not have been overrun," Link said as he passed them.
"Link, darling," Zelda smiled when she finally found her husband. "It's time to go. It's getting dark out."
"Zelda, look at this pup," Link lifted the dog for her to see.
She took the puppy from him. It was a young Hylian Terrier with dark grey, almost green fur and a white underbelly, and its eyes were a startling blue.
"It looks just like-"
"I know," Link grinned widely, showing off those pointed canines that had never really returned to normal. "We should take him home."
"Link, we can't," Zelda started.
"We would be setting a great example for the community," Link talked over her. "If the royal family can take home a shelter dog than so can any family in the country. We wouldn't be able to keep animals in the shelter; people would be adopting them as soon as they came through the door."
Zelda sighed. Link had thought about this a lot. There would be no talking him out of it.
"This will be your dog," she handed the puppy back to him. "You will take care of him and train him properly or else."
"You are the best wife ever," Link stood up and swiftly kissed her on the cheek. "I love you so much."
"Yes, I know," Zelda smiled as the puppy yapped happily, as if it knew it was going to a new home. "What will you name him?"
"I was thinking Wolf."
"You can't name him Wolf."
"I thought you said this was my dog."
"Fine. Name him Wolf."