A/N: I'm going to keep this short and sweet so you can get on with reading the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Nintendo or Super Smash Bros.

Enjoy!

~A Not-so-Perfect Birthday~

As soon as the morning light shone through the windows in Hyrule castle, a sleeping princess began to stir. She rolled over, yawned, and burrowed deeper into her covers. It was Princess Zelda's eighteenth birthday, and she wanted it to be splendid. Reluctantly, she sat up, rubbed her eyes, and climbed out of bed. She prepared herself for the day, and decided to wear her favorite dress. As she braided her hair in front of the mirror, she relished in the feeling of being a legal adult. Now finished with her hair, she walked down the stairs to the dining hall, where she ate breakfast with her parents.

"Happy Birthday dear," Her mother said.

"Yes, Happy Birthday indeed," Added her father.

"Thank you," Zelda replied happily. They shared some more small talk until breakfast was brought out. It was mostly silent after that, because they were all busy eating. The cooks had prepared Zelda's favorite breakfast, and served it on the finest plates. As soon as they were done, the servants cleared the dishes. Zelda and her parents moved to her father's study and sat down at a considerably smaller table.

"Here is our gift to you," Her mother said quietly. She withdrew a large package that was tied shut with a string from underneath her chair and handed it to Zelda. Zelda untied the string and lifted the lid. Inside was a beautiful white dress, along with a green vest to wear on top. The dress was floor length, with intricate patterns along the bottom, and didn't flare out much, which was Zelda's favorite style of dress.

"Thank you very much!" Zelda said happily, giving her mother and her father a kiss on the cheek.

"We also have one more…surprise," her father said thoughtfully. "Because you are an adult now, we have decided that you are eligible for marriage. In fact, we have already arranged a marriage for you." He looked at Zelda as if he was measuring her reaction. Now, Zelda had been raised as a proper lady, and as a princess, so she was very good at controlling her facial expressions, and her voice. As soon as she heard that her parents had arranged a marriage for her, she pretended to be unfazed by the news, while inside, her emotions were off the chart.

"Do I get to meet him soon?" Zelda asked, hoping that her parents would tell her a little about this mystery man.

"That's the spirit!" Her dad cheered.

"You will meet him tomorrow afternoon in the grand hall," said Zelda's mother.

"What is his name?" Zelda inquired, hoping to at least learn something about him.

"Oh yes," Her mother said, "We are not going to tell you his name and likewise, he will not learn your name until you meet tomorrow. This will help you to get to know him better, and will hopefully encourage you to learn more about each other."

Zelda smiled and pretended to be happy about this, then excused herself. She walked towards the castle garden, worrying all the way. Her biggest fear, she decided, was that he would be a horrible person. She didn't think she would be able to put up with a self-centered snob the rest of her life, nor could she put up with someone who was incessantly rude to her. Unfortunately, she saw no way out of this, and sighing, she sat down on a stone bench in the garden.

"Hey Zel," A familiar voice called.

"Hello Link," Zelda replied, watching for him to come around the corner. He was smiling when he first spotted her, but he picked up on her mood and hurried over.

"What's goin' on?" He asked, "You seem sad." Link could read her like a book. They had been friends since he first rescued her from Ganondorf, and she suspected that he liked her as more than a friend. However, she did not return those feelings, but still enjoyed talking to Link as a friend.

"My parents arranged a marriage for me," Zelda sighed, "and they refuse to tell me his name or anything about him."

"Oh…" Link said, apparently unsure of what to say next. "That stinks. What a birthday present." He said sarcastically, "Happy birthday, then. I hope your day's not totally ruined."

"Thank you Link, I really appreciate that," Zelda said, giving him a small smile.

"And," Link pulled a small package out from one of the mysterious pockets in his tunic, "I got you something," He handed it to her, grinning, "Open it up!"

She opened the package, and pulled out a gold necklace with a stunning blue gem on it.

"Thank you so much Link! This necklace is just beautiful," Zelda said, fastening it around her neck.

"Glad you like it," Said Link, grinning even wider than before. They sat in silence for a short while, and then Link spoke again. "Do you wanna do something? Ya know, to lighten your mood?"

"Yes, that would be enjoyable," Zelda said, smiling.

"All right! Come on, let's go!" Link said, grabbing her hand. She laughed and ran along after him. He led her out the castle gates, with a wave at the guards, and onto the road that led into town.

"Where are we going?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Wherever you want to go," Link replied, finally slowing.

"Then we shall go to the market," Zelda decided.

"Sounds good to me," They started heading towards the center of town, where the market was always held. After they had walked for a bit in silence, Link cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Uh, not to darken the mood or anything…but when do you first meet your…uh…prince?" Link awkwardly asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Zelda replied.

"Oh," Link said, seeming disappointed.

"To tell you the truth…I am very nervous about this meeting," Zelda confessed in a rush.

"Are the two of you meeting in private?" Link asked thoughtfully.

"We are meeting in the grand hall, so I would assume not."

"Then why are you nervous?" Link inquired.

"I am just…worrying too much," Zelda sighed, "I worry that he will be rude, and I will not be able to stand him, or that he will be too shy and quiet. I just hope that he is decent," She confessed. Link was silent, looking thoughtful for a few moments before speaking.

"I guess…yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I mean, if I had to marry someone I had never met before, I'd be worried too, but…I dunno, I think you'll be fine, and maybe, you'll even learn to like him," He offered. Zelda remained silent, thinking over all that he had said.

"Thank you very much for your advice Link. I really appreciate it," She finally said.

"Uh…you're welcome," Link said bashfully. Zelda just smiled in reply, and they continued on their way.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They had a wonderful time in the market place, and returned to the palace in time for the evening meal.

"Well, this is where I leave you," Link said as they reached the castle gates.

"Thank you for taking me into town today. I hope to see you tomorrow after my meeting," Zelda said, grimacing.

"Cheer up Zellie!" Link laughed, "It can't be that bad."

"I certainly hope it's not," Zelda murmured. Link laughed again, much to Zelda's annoyance, and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"You'll be fine. See ya tomorrow!" He said before starting to walk away.

"Good bye," Zelda returned, and then turned to go inside. The guards saluted, and then stood at attention as she walked by. She smiled and waved at them before going in the gates.