But why? They barely even know me. Is it just Hylian nature to be friendly to strangers? Or is it that damn prophecy?
Same day, Hyrule Castle Town, early evening. "Oh HO! Thank you for shopping with us, newcomer! I haven't seen you around here!" said the friendly shopkeeper at the food market as he bagged Britanni's purchases. "Where are you from?"
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me!" said Britanni, chuckling. "Another dimension!" as she reached into her wallet and pulled out a red rupee and handed it to the shopkeeper.
"Ahahaha, a likely story! Unless you're the one from the prophecy!" The shopkeeper replied, laughing.
"Maybe I am!" said Britanni, shrugging and smiling.
"Well, you take care, and don't start any trouble around here!" came the reply as Britanni headed for the shop door.
"Me? I would never." Britanni turned towards the shopkeeper and smiled at him. "Farewell!"
She headed back to the castle after buying some food for herself to snack on between meals. "Wow, such an interesting place this is!" she thought to herself after encountering many friendly people. "It must be that a lot of them know of the prophecy, but almost nothing about me. I'm still not quite convinced that I'm not feeling effects of the sleeping pill/alcohol combination." Britanni was lost in thought for a few moments until she bumped into someone, knocking a few apples out of the bag. "Oy, excuse me!"
"Oh Miss, I'm so sorry! Let me help you with that." Britanni heard a young man speak as she bent down to grab the wayward apples. After she placed two of them in her bag, she reached for the last one and her hand brushed up against the young man's, as he was reaching for the apple too. He picked up the apple and they both stood back up and met each other's gaze. Britanni's jaw about dropped through the brick walkway. She felt her cheeks intensely flush and her knees weaken. She could barely talk. "Holy...shit...THIS is what he looks like!?" was all she could even think when she looked at the man, whose striking blue eyes were the first thing she noticed, then she took notice of his messy sun-bleached hair, his dark roots showing. He looked a little bit older than in the game she remembered playing, with defined cheekbones, and a bit of stubble on his chin and jawline, which she thought looked like were chiseled by Din herself. He had on a sleeveless shirt that showed some of his chest, and he was in excellent shape. She also admired his golden skin, evident of his work as a farmer. She didn't seem to care that the man was barely five and a half feet tall. She also found herself suddenly wanting to punch him in the face.
"Oh! It's you! I'm glad to see you're awake. I'm Link, by the way." said the man as he extended his hand and offered the apple back to her.
"Um…uhhh...I'm Britanni...uh...I gotta go!" said Britanni as she quickly took the apple and jogged towards the castle, to avoid smacking him in broad daylight.
"Britanni, wait!" said Link as he tried to follow her, but she was eventually lost in the crowd and had entered the castle. He had to get ready for the fighting tournament later in the evening. "Wow...that woman...looks really pretty all cleaned up." he thought, feeling himself blush. "I must talk with her and get to know her. I need to know her story. Especially if she's the one spoken of in the prophecy."
"Britanni, why are you in such a hurry?" said Zelda as Britanni walked swiftly down the hallway.
"Oh...uh, no reason! I'm just...power walking! Yeah, that's right!" Britanni stammered.
"Right...did you meet any interesting people?" said Zelda, not believing for a second that Britanni was "power walking".
"Yeah...there were a lot of nice people! I also...ran into a guy named Link." said Britanni, blushing.
"Link? Ah, our legendary hero. He's a good friend of mine. What did you think about him?" said Zelda with a smile.
"Uh...I didn't really talk to him. I...panicked. He was...ridiculously attractive..." said Britanni, flustered.
"Is that so? He's a nice guy." said Zelda, grinning deviously at Britanni.
"Please don't tell him...and...quit with that smiling, it's embarrassing me!" exclaimed Britanni. "Like...I think I'd die if I held his hand...or kissed him...or heaven forbid I ever...Oh my gosh, I need a cold bath right now...gotta go!" Britanni quickly shuffled off.
"She's got it bad..." said Zelda, giggling as Taron walked up to her after Britanni disappeared through a door.
"Is that so, for who?" said Taron, smiling and embracing his wife while touching her belly.
"She's really got it bad for Link, Taron." said Zelda with a smile. "I think they could be great together. He needs someone a bit rough around the edges, yet still somewhat youthful. Well...after reading her mind, I've discovered she's older than she looks. You're twenty five, Taron. She's actually three years older than you, five years older than me. She just had her birthday two days ago, on the twelfth."
"Wow, really? She looks twenty-one at the most." said Taron somewhat surprised after finding out Britanni's age.
"Yeah, I agree. However, I'm hiring Link to take her on the tour because I need him to keep an eye on her. We can never be too careful. Someone who has played a part in mass murder is never to be taken lightly."
"Certainly not. I'm also concerned as to why this prophecy is even taking place. Ganondorf is dead. Link made sure of it. All of this raises a big yellow flag." A look of concern spread across the king's face.
"Taron, I'm quite positive that she's my sister. She was banished a long time ago by Ganondorf. Maybe that's the reason that I'm trying to see her in a positive light and trust her. I want her to be the good person the goddesses think she is. I was very young when it happened, but I remember. My parents told me what had happened, and often spoke of her. When I read her mind, I could not see anything that happened before she was eight years old. It's because she doesn't remember anything before that."
"You think that's Loren? I suppose I can see the resemblance now that I think about it. Her nose is a bit sharper than yours, though." Taron said, placing his finger across his chin.
"There are a lot of things that even I don't know. Why does she have red hair when both of my parents had brown hair? Why isn't she Zelda instead of me, if she was born first?"
"The only possibility I can think of is that she's a bastard child of one of your parents, therefore not worthy of the name or the crown."
"Maybe. There are a lot of things that don't add up, but records of her life before her banishment are nowhere to be found. Only rumors, which we can only take with a grain of salt. We should proceed with caution, but treat her with dignity and respect, like any other newcomer, even if they have a dark past." Zelda said as she took her husband by the hand.
"I suppose you're right, after all she's likely even more confused about this than we are." Taron replied, as he and Zelda walked down the red-carpeted hallway.
"Anyways...on a completely different note, I've been feeling in the mood lately...care to help me take care of this?" said Zelda suggestively to her husband, who agreed to it without a second thought.
"Phew, such a great way to vent sudden attraction!" Britanni said breathlessly to herself after spending some time on the punching bag in the training area. "Who does that guy think he is, being that good-looking!?" she wiped sweat from her brow and headed back to her bedroom to have a quick bath. "I heard that there's a fighting tournament this evening, and that he's gonna be in it...perhaps I should enter...if I beat the shit out of him perhaps it'll relieve my sexual frustration...yes. I must enter...I'll go in disguise so no one tries to go easy on me..." she climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel, and picked through her closet, going through the new clothes she bought. She settled on a gender-neutral outfit with short sleeves and loosely fitting pants, and made sure to hide her feminine hips and obviously female chest. She slipped a pair of fingerless gloves over her long hands, and pulled her hair into a low ponytail. "Now I just need to go buy a mask at the combat emporium, then I should be able to pass myself off as a young boy." she said out loud to herself as she grabbed her wallet and left her bedroom.
She searched for Zelda to let her know where she was going, and finally walked up to the royal bedchamber. Britanni heard some sensuous moans coming through the door, and she blushed. "Oh my...I guess she's busy. Sounds like she's having fun…" she said quietly to herself as she turned away to find a pen and piece of paper. She quickly wrote down where she would be and slipped it under the door, where the sounds grew more intense and passionate. "Oh my...Taron...just like that...so close..." came Zelda's euphoric voice. Britanni felt her cheeks flush even more, and she started thinking about Link for a moment, until she snapped out of her mental utopia and shook her head frantically. "Ok Britanni, focus!" She started walking down the hallway to leave the castle. She informed the guards of her plans and that she left a note for Zelda, then headed out into town.
"Oh-ho-ho! Will that be all for you, ma'am?" said the young cashier when Britanni placed her mask on the counter.
"Yes, that's all I need. I'm entering the tournament this evening." said Britanni as she pulled out her wallet and counted 12 rupees out of it.
"Oh! Is that so, a delicate flower like you, eh?" said the cashier, his interest piqued.
"Oh, I'm certainly no delicate flower, don't let my height fool you!" replied Britanni, laughing.
"I'll take your word for it, after all that Legendary Hero is a bit of a pint-sized powerhouse himself, and he happens to be the reigning champion of this tournament!" said the cashier with a smile.
"Oh, I see. Besides, I've like, got these hulk arms. I can throw a punch, young lad!" Britanni replied, flexing her biceps, which were rather defined, but not overly bulky.
"Hulk…? What does that mean?" The boy asked, confused.
"Oh…well…I guess I mean they're toned and muscular. Years and years of lifting and push-ups will do that!" Britanni said, shrugging.
"Oh, I get ya! They do look strong, but they work for you!" the cashier said, smiling once more.
"Hey, thanks! Oh…such an upbeat place this is, everyone's dancing and happy!" said Britanni, finally noticing the cheerful environment of the store run by the nine-year-old Malo, who wasn't there at the moment. "Oh, and I'm interested in going up against that 'legendary hero'. I'd love to knock his bleeding block off!" she continued, punching the air.
"Oh really? Did he do anything that's got you so wound up?" said the cashier, wide eyed.
"His existence pisses me off. Hehe...it's...hard to explain, kid." said Britanni, as a light pink glow spread across her cheeks.
"Fair enough...although I have a feeling...you like him, don't you? I'm fifteen, I'm not THAT young..." said the kid, teasingly.
"With that, I must be going! I don't wanna be late!" exclaimed Britanni, dodging the subject. "Have a good evening!" she continued and the kid nodded, still grinning as Britanni hastily exited the store. Sure enough, as soon as she was outside again, none other than the hero himself walked by, wearing a similar sleeveless shirt as earlier, except it was a cream color instead of red, and he was wearing brown drawstring knee-length shorts that flattered his rather round, well-toned butt. Britanni quickly hid behind a large pillar. "Good grief...he looks so good...that's it, I'm taking his ass down tonight!" she said to herself as she slipped the mask over her head and followed Link, remaining around twenty feet behind him.
They arrived at the large tent, where people were walking in to find seats. She spotted a desk where the fighters were registering to compete. Link had signed in and entered the tent. Britanni walked up to the desk and told the man sitting on the other side, "I'm new here, I'd like to enter the tournament. I prefer to remain anonymous."
"Very well. Sign in here. The registration fee is thirty rupees. Do have any nickname you'd wish to go by?" said the man, pointing to the sign-in sheet on the table.
"Shadow Elite will work." said Britanni as she registered herself. Shadow was her code name in the MI-6, because she was one of the most skilled assassins in the agency and could complete some of the most difficult missions. She was quick to hit her mark, to the point that her targets barely saw it coming. She was like a shadow in the night. Plus, her choice of fashion was more on the dark side, she loved to wear black, whether all black or paired with other dark colors.
"Very well then. Shadow Elite, then. No weapons are allowed, every fighter is checked as a precaution. Go ahead right through the entrance behind me, and the guards there will check you for any weapons, then you may proceed to the waiting area where all the other fighters will be gathered. There will be water to drink. Good luck tonight."
"Thank you." said Britanni as she paid her fee then entered the tent. The guards performed a quick pat-down of her, and she hoped that they wouldn't assume that she'd hide anything between her legs. She was cleared for entry and proceeded. She noticed that there were several men of different sizes and ages, and of course, there was Link. She made quick eye contact with him and felt herself getting warm under the mask, so she quickly turned away and went to get some water. She turned her back to everyone and lowered the part of her mask that covered her mouth and took a large sip. She then felt a tap on her shoulder. She quickly covered her mouth and slowly turned around. There was a large, bearded man staring her down.
"Hey kid, you new here?" said the burly man with a deep, gruff voice.
"Uh...yeah, I'm new around here. What's it to you?" she replied in a tone slightly deeper than her own voice.
"Don't go gettin' yourself hurt out there. This ain't the place for skinny kids like you." he said as he condescendingly placed his hand on her head.
"I think I'll manage just fine, thanks." said Britanni as she glared at the man.
"You're a feisty one. Kid, I like you. I'll have fun beatin' the tar outta you tonight." said the man with a hearty laugh.
"Ahem! Alright, Zangoro, that's enough teasing the newcomers. It's best you park it over there." Link said suddenly after poking the man in the shoulder. Surprisingly, the large man didn't protest and went and sat across the room. "Sorry about that...hey, I don't think we've met. I'm Link." he said to Britanni as he extended his hand.
"I'm Shadow. Pleased to make your acquaintance. However, you better watch your back out there tonight. I will take you down, that I promise." she said to Link with a firm tone as she squeezed his hand.
"Huh, is that so? You seem very sure of yourself, Shadow. I like your attitude. I hope we meet in battle, so perhaps we can find out for sure if you can take me." said Link with a big smile as he happily shook Britanni's hand. "Just don't let my size fool you." he said with a wink. Britanni's knees almost buckled. Link gave her a glance with slightly narrowed eyes while grinning, which she perceived as bedroom eyes, when in fact he was just staring her down. She had to turn around and take a large gulp of water.
Another young man with dirty blonde hair and hazel-green eyes who was about average height and handsome came over to her and made conversation. "Hey, I'm Kieran! Don't mind Zangoro over there, he's just a paper tiger. The one to watch out for is Link. Now that's a tough sonovabitch right there. He's like five feet six and he's an absolute tank. Those were some bold words you used on him, it would seem he's gained some respect for you, Shadow." Kieran sat down next to Britanni.
"Well, I'm all of five feet four, and I'm a tank as well. You could say I've had plenty of combat experience." came the reply.
"He certainly has too. They don't call him the Legendary Hero for no reason, that's for sure. Since he defeated Ganondorf, he's learned other fighting styles other than sumo wrestling and swordsmanship."
"He's really hot..." said Britanni without thinking.
"Um...what do you mean by that?" said Kieran, raising an eyebrow.
Another contestant who had been listening said to Kieran, "Well, he's got quite the track record for being a total badass. The guy's on fire, he's absolutely awesome!"
"Oh, well of course. I can't argue with that." said Kieran, grinning sheepishly.
"Well what did ya think I meant, his butt!?" exclaimed Britanni while laughing. The other two snickered at her response.
"Good one, Shadow!" said Kieran, lightly punching Britanni's arm. "Hey Link, I really think you've got some competition tonight!" he yelled to Link, who was getting water.
"You should forfeit now, Kieran!" said Link loudly from across the room, jokingly. It would seem they were buddies.
"No way in hell, pal!" Kieran retorted back as Link came over to them and sat right next to Britanni. "I'd like a shot at this Shadow guy too!" he continued to Link, laughing.
"I think you'll do just fine, Shadow!" said Link as he somewhat roughly placed his arm around Britanni and lightly fist-bumped her chest. It was all Britanni could do to contain herself and not turn beet red, and likely punch Link in the head. She was glad she put on a thick vest over her outfit. "You've been working out, I can tell!" he said with a smile.
"Uh...yeah, yeah I have. Thanks, man. I'm still gonna beat your ass though." said Britanni as she stood up abruptly.
"Not if I beat yours first, kid." said Link, grinning mischievously as he cracked his knuckles.
"I look forward to meeting you in battle, and I will be there. Count on it." came the reply.
Just then the announcer came in and said, "Alright fighters! We are about to begin! The first match will be between Link and Bertol! Please come with me!"
"Alrighty then! Hey Shadow, make sure you come out and watch how I do things around here." said Link as he stood up and stretched. Another large, bearded man also stood up and got ready to leave with the announcer, likely Zangoro's brother. Bertol shook Zangoro's hand and headed to his battle. Everyone else followed suit to go watch.
Britanni stood near the seating area where she could see the ring, a large, square, padded area. Link and his opponent both entered the ring as they were announced, and the crowd went wild. The two opponents got into stance for battle, and the gong was struck, and the two began their battle.
Bertol charged at Link and swung his right arm at him. Link dodged and combat rolled between his opponent's legs, then he swung his leg and tripped Bertol, then jumped in the air and dropped his elbow into Bertol's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him. The referee began counting to five, then the match ended. "The winner is, Link, the Legendary Hero!" shouted the announcer, and the crowd cheered even louder and some chanted for him.
"Not bad...not bad at all!" said Britanni as she cheered as well. "This is gonna be fun..." she thought to herself.
Same day, half an hour later. "Alright, the next fight is between Zangoro and Shadow! Please come forward!" said the announcer, excitedly.
"Huh, I'm not going easy on you, kid..." grumbled Zangoro.
"Good, cause I won't hold back either you big oaf..." said Britanni as she rolled her eyes.
Link had gone out to watch the match. He was certainly hoping for "Shadow" to win. "Go get 'em, kid!" He yelled as the two competitors entered the ring.
"I've gotta look good for him..." Britanni thought to herself as she prepared to fight. The gong was struck, and the match began.
Zangoro charged for her and Britanni dodged out of the way, and using his momentum against him, she whipped around and performed a hard side kick into his back, then quickly crouched while spinning around and swept his legs with her other foot, causing him to trip and fall flat on his face. He got back up and swung at Britanni, who dodged under his arm and kicked him square in the kneecap, causing him to bend forward, where Britanni elbowed him in the face, the performed a hard drop kick on him, knocking him unconscious. "And that's the match! The winner is, our newcomer Shadow Elite!" said the announcer happily as he raised Britanni's hand in the air.
The crowd cheered for the feisty young upstart, and Link was clapping and cheering as well. "I must find out who that is. "He" seems very familiar…" he thought to himself.
The tournament continued, Link and Britanni taking out their opponents with relative ease, until they each got to the semifinals, with Britanni against Kieran and Link against the other young man Britanni had talked to earlier, whose name was Arrolen. Arrolen was defeated after a few minutes, and Kieran proved to be more of a challenge than Britanni's previous opponents, but she was able to take him down as well, but not without taking a hard left hook to her jaw. She popped it back into place, and headed back to the waiting area.
After a fifteen minute intermission, the announcer came into the resting area to get the two final opponents, Link and Britanni. "Alright you two, it's time for the final match! Give us a good show tonight!"
The two of them nodded, and Link said to Britanni, "Well, this is it, the moment we were hoping for! I hope you didn't wear yourself out too much, because I'd rather wear you out myself!" said Link as he winked and smiled at Britanni.
"That sounded really hot..." Britanni thought to herself after hearing the last line of Link's statement. "Mmhmm, likewise, Hero! I've been saving myself for you..." Britanni blushed again when she realized what she said.
Link nodded and smiled, then the two walked out to the ring and prepared for battle. Britanni's heart was racing just a bit, partially from nervousness, but mainly from excitement and maybe just a bit of arousal. The gong was struck and the match began.
Britanni locked eyes with her opponent, then she quickly darted forward and threw a quick jab at the blonde's face. He quickly dodged back slightly, grabbed her by the wrist, placed his other hand on her chest, and pushed her to the floor.
"Oh!" Britanni exclaimed with shock from how quick her opponent was. "Whoa, no one's dodged one of my jabs before…this guy already seems to pose a real challenge!" She quickly regained her composure and jumped back up, where she was immediately met with a hard swing to her head which she barely blocked, the she quickly spun around towards Link and with her back to him, she elbowed him in the solar plexus then grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder, then without hesitation she jumped on top of him, straddling him, and she started punching him in the face repeatedly until he swung his legs up and around Britanni and threw her off of him, and he put her in a strong headlock.
"You really are a feisty one, kid! But let's see you get out of this before you pass out!" said Link quietly into her ear, not ceasing the firm hold he had on Britanni. She had to act quickly and figure out how to overpower her opponent who was a bit stronger and tougher than she was. She was on her knees, so she quickly shifted under him, took him by the arm that was around her neck, and raised herself onto her free hand and knees, lifting Link off of the ground, then she stood up and once again flipped him over her shoulder, then she quickly dropped to the ground and wrapped her legs tightly around his neck.
"How do YOU like it, Hero?" Britanni yelled to Link who was struggling to free himself. Next thing she noticed was a tingling sensation between her legs from where his nose brushed against certain spots. He had stopped struggling. "Uh oh...I think he's figured out that I'm not a boy...I shouldn't have used that hold..." she had relaxed for a moment, because if she hadn't, she'd likely have popped his head off with her legs. Link quickly took the opportunity to escape from the captivity between Britanni's thighs.
They both stood back up, and Link was staring right into Britanni's eyes, both of them breathing heavily from physical exertion. Britanni darted toward him and landed a hard punch in the jaw, then she socked him in the gut, then in the face two more times, then finally with a loud grunt she landed a hard turning sidekick in Link's abdomen, sending him reeling backward, where Britanni finally used her open palms and crouched slightly, then stood up quickly as she caught Link under the chest, lifting him at least a foot off of the ground and out of the ring.
"Unbelievable! Link has been defeated, what an upset victory from our young newcomer, Shadow Elite!" the announcer excitedly shouted as he lifted Britanni's hand over her head. The crowd was cheering wildly, and Link was sitting on the ground outside of the ring, looking slightly bewildered. He wiped the blood off of his lip, then stood up and joined Britanni and the announcer, clapping for his opponent.
"Did…he even try at the end!?" Britanni thought to herself, finding it hard to believe that she just handed out a curbstomp battle to the great "Legendary Hero".
"Wow, you're really something else, kiddo!" said Link with a big smile as he heartily shook Britanni's hand.
Britanni laughed a little bit at the golden haired man and said, "I'm no kiddo, Legendary Hero!" and she removed her mask revealing her true identity. The look on Link's face was priceless. The crowd gasped in surprise.
Link's eyes opened wide and he stood with his mouth agape for a moment, then finally said, "A girl...? Britanni!?"
"A woman, to be precise." said Britanni as she smiled at the dumbfounded hero.
"Oh...most definitely..." Link stammered in reply to the feisty redhead. He found himself intrigued with her fighting skills. The crowd began cheering again.
Britanni removed the thick vest and the overshirt, revealing a sleeveless, form fitting top that barely exposed her midriff and flattered her moderately sized breasts, showing a nice amount of cleavage. Link's gaze fell right to her chest for a moment, then he gave Britanni a once over then looked into her light blue eyes. Her hair was damp from sweat and her bangs were matted to her forehead. He could only smile at her. "She sure is attractive, even if Zelda is weary of her…"
"Get a good look at 'em, Hero! Because that's all you're ever gonna see of them!" she said with a mischievous grin on her face as she punched Link lightly in the arm.
"Um...uh...how about you join me and the guys for a drink or two?" Link finally spat out, somewhat awkwardly.
"Sure, I'll beat you at drinking too, kid!" said Britanni as she laughed slightly.
"I look forward to it...it's a date then!" replied Link, placing his hand behind his head and grinning sheepishly.
"Ha! I'm way out of your league, kid! Anyways, I'm looking forward to it. Shall we, Hero?" Britanni retorted in a joking condescending tone as she bowed and extended her hand to Link.
"Uh...um...we shall, milady!" Link stammered as he took Britanni by the hand. She didn't release her grip and she led him into the waiting room to meet up with Kieran and Arrolen plus a few others. "Wow...what a woman...she's…in excellent shape!" Link thought to himself as he followed her, hand in hand, seeming to like the fact that she had some muscle on her. He blushed and his eyes drifted to her posterior, which she was not lacking whatsoever. "Oh forgive me Hylia...but good job on this one..." His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a blotch of red peeking out from under her top. It looked like a third degree burn. "Oh dear...she must have been through a lot..." his thoughts ceased when they arrived at where Kieran and the others were waiting.
"Whoa...you're a girl, Shadow!?" exclaimed Kieran who also seemed to like what he saw. "What a babe!"
"A woman, Kieran! A lady, moreso!" exclaimed Link, smiling. In the back of his mind he already wanted to mark his territory and had to refrain from slapping his buddy. "Don't be so damn inappropriate! She's way out of your league!" he continued, half-jokingly.
"Oh, seems you two have a thing going already!" Arrolen jumped into the conversation, pointing at Link and Britanni who were still holding hands.
Britanni's cheeks lightly flushed and she quickly released her grip from Link's hand, and punched Arrolen in the arm. "Really, after just an hour or so of knowing each other? You're off your fucking rocker."
"Well, that would explain why you're single. No guy wants to get beaten up on a daily basis!" Kieran said, while chuckling. "Besides, most women rarely ever swear around here."
"Hah, well, good for those women! I suppose I've picked up the military mouth from armed services. By the way, the name's Britanni." she continued as she extended her hand to Arrolen and Kieran, who both looked somewhat confused, but still shook her hand.
"Military mouth? You say some weird stuff. I'm still going to call you Shadow." Kieran replied, smiling at her.
"Whatever, call me what you want! I'll even answer to Crazy Bitch." Britanni replied, laughing.
"Seems like a fitting name!" said Kieran, half-jokingly. "How about CB?"
"Ugh, just call her Shadow, Kieran…" Link interjected, eyebrows furrowed. He turned to Britanni and said, sweetly, "After you, milady!" and he gestured towards the exit.
"Aight, but you're gonna have to show me where the pub is!" said Britanni as she headed through the exit. "I think I prefer CB to Milady though!" She blushed for a moment, slightly embarrassed by the endearing term Link was using. She smiled though, because she honestly thought Link's mannerisms were just adorable and a breath of fresh air. She was never treated like a lady before. This young man was already growing on her. She smiled as Link and the others joined her outside and they walked to Telma's Bar together.
"Oh ho! Welcome, Link! It's so good to see you and your friends again! How did everything go tonight?" said the tall, voluptuous bar owner. She had red, braided hair, tan skin, and a cheerful demeanor and appeared to be around 40 years old.
"Oh, Telma you won't believe this! I was actually defeated tonight!" said Link with a shocked yet still cheerful tone as he and the other guys sat at the bar. Kieran tried to sit next to Link and was greeted with "Get lost, pal! This seat is reserved!" Kieran quickly understood and sat at the next seat down. He grinned deviously at his blonde pal.
"Oh really, and who in the wide world of Hyrule managed to pull off such a feat, hmm?" Telma asked, looking rather surprised.
Link looked behind him to see Britanni standing a few feet away, just observing. "Milady, come have a seat!" he smiled at the redhead and pat the stool next to him.
Britanni blushed and complied with his kind request. Telma looked at her, then at Link, then back to Britanni, her eyes suddenly widened. "Oh my Hylia...was it this pretty little lady right here?" she exclaimed.
Link grinned sheepishly and replied, "Yep...it was her. She was amazing! This is Britanni, she's new to Hyrule!" Britanni just blushed and nodded.
"Oh, is that so? A woman of mystery, hmm? Quite a lady friend you have here, you better hang on to this one, Link!" said Telma happily as she winked at both of them. They both blushed and avoided eye contact with each other.
"Hehe yeah, Link got his ass kicked by a girl!" Kieran laughed at his friend and continued, "She totally knocked him out of the ring!"
Link's eyes narrowed slightly all the while his full, slightly chapped lips were curved into a smile, the he said, "Well so did you, Kieran! At least I made her work for it!" he reached around Britanni and rustled Kieran's hair.
Telma looked at Kieran and shook her head, smiling. "Well I do wish I could have seen that myself, but this bar ain't gonna run itself! Now what can I get the lot of you? Discounts for you handsome young gentlemen as usual, and Miss Britanni, yours are on the house!" she said sweetly as she smiled warmly at Britanni.
"Nah, put it on Link's tab! I think he enjoyed his legendary beatdown!" said Arrolen, nudging Link's shoulder while laughing heartily.
"Oh shut it, Arro! How about you pay for all the drinks!?" Link exclaimed while chuckling himself. Britanni just smiled and enjoyed the company of her new acquaintances.
They each ordered their drinks, and Telma quickly worked on their orders. A pretty young woman walked up to them, who appeared to be in her late 20's. She had reddish-brown hair, amber eyes, and a tall, curvy body.
"Hey guys, I saw the match! That was quite the show tonight!" she said happily to them.
"Oh, hey Terah! Yeah, this woman right here beat me fair and square! This is Britanni, by the way." said Link to this woman. "Oh, Britanni, this is Terah, she's one of King Taron's students along with Kieran and Arrolen, and she's their older sister!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Terah!" said Britanni with a smile as she held out her hand.
"It is SO nice to meet you, Britanni! Oh Hylia, Link she's adorable!" said Terah as she laughed at Britanni's hand and gave her a hug.
Britanni blushed a rather dark shade of pink and slowly hugged Terah back. "Oh my...well thank you!" she said while giggling.
Link smiled at both of them, and Telma served them their drinks. "Oh welcome Terah! The usual?" said Telma with a smile.
"Yes, the usual!" came the sweet reply as Terah sat down next to Arrolen. "Britanni, tell us about yourself!" she called to Britanni from a few seats down.
"Oh! Well, you may not believe this, but..." Britanni told Terah and the others of where she came from and how she got here.
"Well, I suppose dimension-hopping isn't all that unusual around here." said Link after finishing his first drink. "Perhaps not in my opinion. But we're really glad to have you!" he smiled warmly at Britanni, setting her heart aflutter. The others agreed.
"Well...thank you so much!" said Britanni, smiling slightly as she turned to grab her drink. "But why? They barely even know me. Is it just Hylian nature to be friendly to strangers? Or is it that damn prophecy? Or is Link…hitting on me!?"
After a few drinks and cheerful banter, Britanni learned a good bit about her new companions. Kieran was 21 years old and was training to be a knight for the Hylian Royal Guard, and admired King Taron. He also loved nature and horses. Arrolen was 24 years old, and was training to be a medic and a white mage. He was also a beast master who trains wolves as companions. He's also skilled with bow staves, as is standard for a mage. He stated having a crush on Taron's twin sister, Maron. He's terrified to admit it in front of the King, who is very friendly, but rather protective of his sister. Terah is actually their half-sister, from their father's previous relationship. Her mother left when she was just two years old, and hasn't been heard from since. Terah is skilled with twin scimitars and enjoys baking. She's one of few female soldiers-in-training. Link of course, after defeating Ganondorf, has looked into other forms of combat, including hand-to-hand. He has been training under Taron for the past two or so years, and he teaches swordsmanship alongside the king, whenever he's not working on the farm or delivering milk. Britanni spoke of the interests that the others would understand, such as her love of art, baking, and physical training. She knew none of them would know anything about what Metroid was, or hard rock music for that matter.
"You like baking too, Britanni? Perhaps we should go into business together one day!" Terah said, somewhat jokingly.
"Haha, perhapsh wunna dese daysh!" Britanni finished yet another drink and had a good buzz going. "So, Link, yous the lezhendarey heruh, huh? Yous a real big shot 'round 'ere, eh?" she said as she nudged his arm with her elbow.
"We~ll of courseyam, miladay, what 'bout it?" said Link, his speech somewhat slurred.
"I has sho mush fun kickin ya lezhendarey assh, Mishter Big Shot!" said Britanni as she pinched Link's bottom.
"Whoa!" Link yelped as he jumped in his seat and blushed intensely.
"Oh yesh, SO~O lezhendarey!" said Britanni, laughing at the blonde's cute reaction.
The others laughed and teased Link just a bit, then Kieran said, "I gesh ye WERE refurrin ta hish butt earliuh, Shaduh!" he laughed as he poked Britanni in the shoulder. "Ya loves him, dontcha?
"So what if I waszh? Iken appreshate a nish, well-toned can wishout akshully wantin' tuh get wish 'im, Kyuran!" Britanni replied cheerfully as she slapped Kieran on the back.
"Oof…Link, Shaduh wantshta bed ya, buddeh!" Kieran said loudly to Link, who almost spit his drink out.
"Um..." was all the blue-eyed Hylian could manage to say, while holding his drink to his lips, his eyes wide and face beet red.
"Not a schnowboll's shance en fooking hell!" said Britanni loudly as she knocked back another drink.
"You guys are so funny! But it's getting late, Kieran and Arro, we have to get up tomorrow for training with the King!" said Terah, who only had two drinks.
The two men she addressed agreed and paid their tabs, then Kieran said to Link, "We gotsta get goin', but um...has fun wif Shaduh! Hehehe..."
"Ugh, jush go home!" exclaimed Link, his face still red. "Ennywesh, y'all get home safely. I has planth tomorruh, we all get togesure 'gain soon!" he continued, giving his friends hugs.
"No worries, I'll see them home, Link!" said Terah as she quickly hugged him. "Britanni, it was so nice to meet you! You and I should go shopping soon and have lunch! I could use some more girlfriends, instead of always being around these sweaty guys!" she said, laughing while gesturing towards the three guys. "Well, of course if you don't mind having a friend who's a lot older than you, I'm approaching thirty in few months!" she continued, rubbing the back of her own neck and smiling.
"Ooh that'd be sho nith, Teruh. We shid plan shumting shoon, but Zhelda's sendin' meh oot on goided ture tomorruh, I'll beh gone motht of the day!" Britanni said as she hugged her new friend, and while she was close to her, she said quietly, "...also...I ish reeeeally not mush younguh zan ya. Juth tuhned chuenty-eight two daysh aguh, believe it or not..."
"Oh wow...that's great, well happy belated birthday!" Terah whispered in response. "I won't tell Link, he's only nineteen! Going on twenty in six weeks...hope you like younger guys!" she continued, giggling.
Britanni pulled away and blushed, then said, "Nooooo~ooo! Ennehwaysh, you lot beh safe and has a good night! Take care!"
She and Link saw their friends off, then they locked eyes again. "Ahem...well miladeh, shall I see ya home?" said Link after a brief awkward silence.
"Sure, I'd like dat...becaush I may get lotht, I cahn't rilly walk streght!" Britanni stammered, turning her head away. She stumbled towards the bar and Link followed suit so he could pay his tab.
"Well Britanni, it was nice to meet you sugar! You take care of Link, alright?" Telma said with a wink.
"Well I'm sure the lezhendarey big shot can take care of himshelf! It was gret meetin' ya too!" said Britanni as she smiled and shook Telma's hand.
Link also bid her farewell, then he and Britanni left the bar. As they ascended the steps, Link paused and turned towards Britanni and said, "Well...I had uh reeeally gret time tunight. Maybeh one day we could...um...have dinnuh or coffee or somethin'...just us..." he was rubbing the back of his head and looking at the ground, shifting his feet.
"Ya mean, like a date, Heruh? We jush met, shilly little boy!" Britanni responded as she touched Link's chin and looked him in the eyes.
"Uh...n-n-no! Jush as friendth, Miladeh! I-I dun't mean tuh give the wrong idea..." Link turned his gaze away again.
"Hm...Perhapsh I could take ya up on dat. But of courth, ith not because I has any kind of feelingth for ya! And quit with the damn 'Milady' stuth, I'm Britannay!" came the slightly exasperated response as she turned to playfully run from the Hero.
"Oh thorry...Britanni! So when do ya want tuh do that? Ennehtime soon?" said Link as he pursued the crimson haired woman.
"Hmm I dunno, Heruh! Mebbe one day! But dontcha staht stalkin' and naggin' 'bout it!"
"Well I kinda has a busy shedule, Mi- I mean, Britanneh...I has ta plan these things!" said Link as he caught up to Britanni and touched her arm.
"I'll let ya know, Link. I promish ya that." came the surprisingly calm reply.
"Hey lady, is this guy bothering you?" suddenly a dark haired man with brown eyes and a close shaven beard approached them. He looked a bit handsome.
"Um...no he ishn't. Everythin's fine!" said Britanni to the strange man.
"You heard her, Marlon! You has no bithness over here..." said Link as he glared at the man.
"Very well...just had to make sure..." came the reply as he walked away from the pair.
"Uh...what's up with that bloke?" said Britanni as the two continued walking, Link now walking close to her, as if trying to protect her. Both of them were beginning to speak coherently once more.
"He's up to no good...he has a bad reputation around here, but there's no solid evidence against him yet." said Link, his eyes narrowed and looking back towards where they were greeted by that man.
"I see...well, we're almost at the castle...um...thanks for walking me home, Link." said Britanni as the two approached the entrance to the castle.
"It was my pleasure, Britanni." The two stopped in front of the castle entrance, and they looked at each other for a moment.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. I'll see you again soon, Link." she extended her hand to her new friend.
"Yes, very soon, Britanni. I...had a good time." he shook Britanni's hand, then paused. He smiled at her. Britanni looked away for a second, blushing, then she finally gazed into Link's cerulean eyes. "Those eyes...so beautiful...yet so fierce..." she thought to herself as she moved closer to him, still holding his hand. "Link..." she said when she was just a few inches from his face.
"Yes...milady...err...Britanni?" Link gulped nervously as she slid his hand up to Britanni's upper arm.
Britanni closed her eyes, then said, "I-I had a good time too. See you later." she then turned away and headed through the castle doors.
"Wow..." Link said out loud to himself as he left the castle and headed home.
"Zelda...you're still awake?" said Britanni as she entered the royal chamber, where Zelda was reading and having a glass of water.
"Oh, the baby's really active tonight, therefore making it hard to sleep. Did you have fun tonight?" said Zelda with a smile.
"I did! It was awesome! I kicked Link's ass at the tournament, it was so exhilarating...and he's such...a gentleman. His friends were rather fun to be around too. I feel...happy, Zelda." said Britanni cheerfully as she sat down next to Zelda. "Something I'm just not used to."
"I'm glad you had fun, Britanni. There's plenty more to be had tomorrow, I think you should go ahead and get some sleep. I'm about to go try again myself. Goodnight!" said Zelda as she closed her book and slowly stood up.
"Yeah, good idea. I'll walk you to your room." said Britanni as she too stood up.
"Link! Welcome back, how'd it go?" Link was greeted by one of his closest friends, Rusl, who happened to be sitting by the pond in Ordon Village.
"Well, I got defeated. Actually, I threw the match. It was against a boy who called himself Shadow." Link said as he sat down next to the man he looked up to as a brother.
"Is that so? Why did you do that?" Rusl asked, with curiosity.
"Well, "he" was in disguise for a reason. You know that girl I found in the woods yesterday?"
"Let me guess, that "boy" was her?" Rusl replied, with an amused expression.
"Yep. I accidentally…found out in the middle of the match…" Link looked at the ground, trying not to turn red, remembering that he pretty much had his face right in her crotch. "As to why she entered, I'm not sure. Perhaps to have a chance to challenge me? I don't know. I couldn't bring myself to hit her after finding out. Although I suppose I could have at least put up more of a fight at the end. She hits almost as hard as a Goron…" Link chuckled a bit, while pointing to the bruises on his cheekbone and his eye.
"She sounds quite interesting! Did you find anything out about why she appeared here?"
"Rusl, it's the prophecy coming to fruition. Zelda hired me to keep an eye on her tomorrow, to size her up, so to speak. She didn't give me details, but Britanni, -that's the woman's name-, has a bit of a dark past. She already holds a fragment of the Triforce of Power. I don't quite understand why this prophecy even exists. Maybe it's to unite the sacred triangles and bring harmony, or something like that." Link said, shrugging. "There are holes in that prophecy. Why give the Triforce of Power to someone who just happens to be possibly related to Zelda? Also, what evil could we be up against?"
"I see. You bring up some good points, Link. I heard that the lost Princess Loren was just the illegitimate child of the King and one of his servants, while he was still just a prince. Not much is known about the servant woman, she fled Hyrule during the war. Loren would be about twenty-eight years old now."
"Hmm…Britanni looks younger than that, but it's possible she's that age. Maybe the history covers up the fact that the king of Hyrule had a child out of wedlock." Link said, folding his arms across his chest.
"True, that would cause a lot of trouble, quite possibly. This is all just speculation though. Records of Princess Loren aren't easy to come by."
"I know I'm supposed to investigate her, but Britanni does seem like a genuinely nice person after spending some time with her. Someone I'd certainly like to get to know on a personal level." Link picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the pond.
"Just be careful, alright? Queen Zelda's concerns are never unfounded."
"Of course I will. I wouldn't mind being friends with her. Anything beyond that, will just have to happen naturally."