Zelda's P.O.V.

"It's rude to sleep at a person's party."

Link's head jerked up, and he blinked hard a few times. He must have dozed off while he was waiting for me. I felt guilty about that, but I really had come out as quickly as I was able. I actually had to arrange for a man to bump into me and spill his drink on my dress. The man had been so flustered. I felt bad as he fell over himself trying to apologize. Though of course, not bad enough not to do it; I'd be lying to myself if I pretended I didn't know exactly what would happen. He was a low level noble, Timothy I believe. I made a mental note to arrange for something good to happen to him later.

In the confusion, I slipped my guard, and told my handmaids to prepare a new dress for me, saying I would meet with them in a few minutes after I had taken care of some affairs of state.

"You came," Link said simply. The sheer look of unguarded happiness and gratitude that came from his eyes broke my heart a little. Keeping my word, meeting him here, that shouldn't have been enough to yield a look like that. It scared me.

"Yes, but I have very little time."

"Then I guess I better give you your gift quick."

I must admit, he had me curious. I didn't require a gift of him, but I also didn't understand why he felt he needed to give whatever he had for me in private. He reached his hand back to grasp an object hidden in his belt. As he brought the object forward, he bowed himself into a sort of half-kneel with his head down in a show of deference. "My Queen," he said when his arm stopped, fully extended toward me.

I needed a second to take the object in. It was oblong, a little bigger than his hand and colored in a shade of blue so dark, it was almost purple. I gasped as its significance hit me. "That's not..."

Link looked up at me with a smile, his crystal clear blue eyes shining. "It is. The Ocarina of Time."

I was completely flabbergasted. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought I would ever lay my eyes on such an important and powerful artifact as this. I reverently took it in my hands to examine. "But how?"

"You know of the Temple of Time?"

I nodded. Of course I knew of the Temple of Time. It played a major part in Hyrule's history, which had been drilled into my head since I was a young child. It was left behind as the capital moved, but there were rumors it remained deep within the Faron Woods. These rumors were only known to few at this point in time, but I faintly recall its mention in one of Link's stories of his exploits.

"I go there sometimes still when I need to think. Something about the atmosphere soothes me." The Temple of Time was very sacred. It was unsurprising he would feel this way. "I've become pretty intimately familiar with the place, or well, its ruins, and I found the ocarina somehow perfectly preserved in the midst of a bunch of rubble. I guess the Hero of Time left it there before his death."

I was entranced by the musical instrument. My ancestor had bestowed it upon the Hero of Time when they were both children. I carefully ran my fingers over the holes. Both of them had held it in this same position.

"Do you like it?"

There was no way I could convey what his gift meant to me. The ocarina had been used most extensively by the Hero of Time and the princess of his day, and I felt like I owed that princess everything. Her story of bravery in that alternate future changed my very heart. Link was the only person to whom I'd ever made mention of that fact, but even he could not realize how deeply I felt connected to her.

She lost her home, she lost her family, she lost everything about the life she had known all when she was just a child. So what did she do? She fought back by sacrificing the only thing she had left: herself. She shed her identity as the princess and took on a new persona, one that would sublimate who she was as a person, her thoughts and feelings, her needs and desires. In the most intensive way possible, save possibly death, she lost herself for the benefit of her country. She couldn't reveal who she was underneath her disguise to anyone, and in a less literal sense, I could relate. She was my inspiration, the reason I strove to give all of myself to Hyrule.

The princess gave her ocarina to the Hero of Time right before she lost her kingdom, and now the Hero of Twilight was giving it back to me just after I had reclaimed mine. I couldn't imagine a more fitting gift.

"I love it," I said, exerting a lot of effort not to sound overly emotional. "Thank you, Link."

Suddenly Link seemed self-conscious, as he shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "I don't know if its magic still works, and even if it does, I don't know any of the songs..."

"It's perfect." I cared far more about its historical significance than any practical application. I cannot imagine the goddesses would approve of me playing with time without their specific instruction. "Now even I can't find a gray lining for today."

He smiled at me. That brilliantly warm smile he shared so freely. With his golden hair, bright blue eyes, and impressive physique, it was no wonder half the girls in Hyrule were infatuated with him. Which is why I was surprised all the more when I saw he brought the young boy Colin with him as his guest. While part of me had been relieved, my more reasonable side wished he had chosen some pretty girl to invite. I think it would make me feel safer around him.

Then his smile faded into a look of remorse. "I'm sorry Zelda. When I touched you, I forgot... I didn't mean... I'm sorry." His head hung down.

"Don't concern yourself over that incident." His head and eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I'd rather it hadn't happened, of course, but I don't think any harm will come of it. The glowing lasted only an instant, and we played it off well. I doubt even anyone looking at us at that precise moment would be able to piece together what really happened."

The look of relief on his face made me glad I said what I did, even if it wasn't true. Lord Torrin had approached me while Link was waiting for me. He congratulated me, complimented me, acted completely personable. Then, his voice lowered but still as pleasant, he said, "Link does seem to glow around you, doesn't he?" Anyone who overheard his comment wouldn't think much of it, but he wanted me to know that he had seen. I was not sure what he planned to do with the information, but I didn't want Link to try to fix things for himself. The world I lived in was a game, and Link knew neither the rules nor the players. He was better off in a place that wasn't founded on deception and intrigue. I, on the other hand, had always excelled at games. I could handle Torrin.


Link's P.O.V


Now that I had finally talked to Zelda, it was as if a burden had been lifted from my chest. I had been so nervous about my gift. The moment I found that ocarina, I knew she should have it, but I was anxious all the same. Maybe it was that I was afraid it wouldn't mean as much to her as I thought it would.

The reaction I was most afraid to get was for her to smile and say, "Thank you very much." From anyone else, that would have been fine, but I had a feeling she had practiced that appropriate reaction her whole life, no matter the gift. So to see her examine the instrument so thoroughly before she gave her thanks, to me that meant her gratitude was genuine instead of a mere courtesy.

Newly relieved, I could finally enjoy the ball. I sought out some of the friends I had rudely ignored. In penance, I didn't even sidestep Darbus' hug, which reminded me exactly why I tended to avoid his backbreaking hugs in the first place. I was going to feel that the rest of the night.

Darbus, the Goron patriarch, and I had a kind of funny relationship. He had no memory of what had happened while he had been overcome by the fused shadow, and due to his temper and size, no one wanted to be the one to tell him that a mere human had saved him even if most the other Gorons knew it. When I needed his help later, he joked that maybe someday I could help him in return and then laughed like it was a ridiculous thought. I think he considered us even after I killed Ganondorf, so I saw no need to tell him and embarrass him over what had really happened or over the comments he had made due to his incomplete knowledge.

Right now he was playing with Ralis and Colin. Each had his arms wrapped around one of Darbus' large forearms, and he was alternately lifting each boy into the air, much to their delight. He laughed and bellowed that they weighed less than a Goron baby. Given that even their babies ate rocks, I found that unsurprising. Ralis' advisor, Syrillis, was shaking his head in disapproval at his charge's un-princely behavior.

I was talking to Gor Coron because, quite frankly, I preferred his volume to that of his successor. "So how are the Gorons doing?" I asked.

"Good, good. Trade has been doing very well, and the queen has been quite generous in hiring our people to help with reconstruction efforts. Oh, and I had the pleasure of meeting your friend."

I had almost forgotten about that. "Ashei? How is she?"

"A bit gruff." I laughed at the former patriarch's honesty. "But very respectful of our customs and traditions. She mostly keeps to herself anyway, but word was sent out that she wasn't to be bothered."

"Darbus?" I asked. I thought my letter would give her a warm enough welcome from any Goron she met, but I didn't think Darbus would officially say anything to his people. It might seem like he was taking orders from me.

"Well," the old Goron said with a twinkle in his eye, "he had a bit of persuasion."

I smiled. Darbus may have been the patriarch due to his size and fighting prowess, but I knew that Gor Coron along with the other Goron elders were the ones pulling the strings. For that I was grateful because they held a lot of wisdom and weren't nearly as rash or hot-headed as Darbus.

When Colin finally tired out, he crashed. I took that as my sign to leave. I slung him over one shoulder (Colin never even shifted) and started to make my way out of the ballroom when I heard my name.

"Hero Link. I don't believe we've met."

Even though I recognized the voice, I was still surprised to turn around to see Auru standing there. What was he talking about? He was the one who led me to Arbiter's Grounds where I found the Mirror of Twilight. Even after that, I had sought him out for advice several times before the end of the war. He was the leader of the Resistance for crying out loud. Of course we had met.

"I'm Auru," he said, sticking out a hand. Yeah, no kidding. But I shifted Colin and shook his hand anyway, figuring I'd play along with whatever his game was. I owed him at least that much.

"Too much to drink?" he said, gesturing to the load over my arm.

I looked at him strangely. The kid was eleven. It was a question uncharacteristic of the Auru I knew.

"Too much sugar is more like it. He went a little crazy with the dessert trays they brought out."

"I see. Have you had a chance to congratulate Queen Zelda?"

"I managed to get in a dance," I said slowly, still unsure what game was playing.

"Then you are a more agile man than I." He laughed. "Though I guess given my age, that's no longer much of an accomplishment."

While he was by no means a young man as evidenced by his gray hair and neatly trimmed beard, he wasn't as old as he pretended. Less than a year ago he led the Resistance into battle to help clear my path to Ganondorf.

"She's hardly had a break, has she?"

"It's only to be expected, I suppose," Auru replied. "Now that she's queen, she will have more suitors than she could possibly court. Hyrule's a strong kingdom, and Queen Zelda is a beautiful woman."

His words filled my mind with uneasy thoughts. I had been in denial earlier, but I now realized any one of the men she danced with was a potential suitor. It was too soon. "Do you think we should expect a marriage announcement in the near future?"

He stroked his chin with a hand while he considered my question. "It's hard to say. Hyrule needs an heir seeing as the queen has no close living relation, but her highness is also a very... deliberate woman. Were I forced to guess, I'd probably say we should expect an announcement in one year, maybe two."

I don't know what I expected. His answer could have been so much worse, but knowing that in only a year, she could be tied to one of the very men in this room, someone like that pompous foreign prince, made me incredibly uncomfortable, like something was crawling underneath my skin.

"Though it could also be much sooner."

I cursed under my breath. After I had made a conscious effort all night to be on the opposite side of the room from him, he managed to sneak up on me when I lowered my guard, thinking I was leaving.

"Lord Torrin. Have you had the opportunity to meet Link yet?"

"We've met," I said, staring at him with an icy glare.

Torrin smiled amicably towards me. He was such a snake. "From what I hear, the queen has already been overwhelmed with eager suitors requesting to court her."

I blinked hard to restrain myself. "As great as it is seeing you again, Lord Torrin, and meeting you, Auru, I should really be getting this guy to bed." I tilted my eyes towards Colin.

"Of course," Torrin said, "but there is one request I'd like to make of you before you go."

"Sure," I said through clenched teeth. "But he's a little heavy, so if you wouldn't mind making it quick." That wasn't entirely true. Colin had grown a lot (though he was still skinny for his height), but I had accumulated strength enough that his weight didn't bother me much.

"Will you be here in a few days time to train the guard as usual?"

I nodded.

"Then would you be gracious enough to help me out of a bind? I've taken the responsibility of managing the queen's meetings with her various suitors." Of course he had. There was no duty he could hold that would make me hate him more. "She has a meeting that day, and the chaperone I arranged fell through. I thought you would make a perfect replacement. I'm sure Queen Zelda would be grateful for your help."

Of all the things I thought he might ask, that had never even made the list. I stared at him, not bothering to hide my confusion. "I would be more than happy to help the queen, but I don't really understand why I'm needed. Can't one of her many guards chaperone?"

"Guards can be intimidating. They don't make proper chaperones. Isn't that right, Auru?"

Auru nodded his head. "Torrin's already scheduled me for as many days as I was willing."

Torrin looked me up and down. "And as a man of high honor and respect in addition to your protective abilities, you would be a perfect stand-in until we find a permanent chaperone."

I searched his face, trying to find any clue as to what he was planning. Did he think I was too attached to Zelda? Did he know how much the thought of Zelda with another man sickened me? But I couldn't find anything. He was far too good of a liar. Yet still, I figured I could handle it. After all, Zelda would be there to guide me.

"Anything for the queen," I said before a hurried goodbye. I didn't want to give Torrin the chance to do or say anything else.


A/N: Hey sorry this is a day later than I said it would be. I tried to upload it several times yesterday, but I kept getting error messages when I tried to access the manage stories tab.

Anyway let me know how you liked reading from Zelda's point of view. Regardless, there will be at least one more section from her viewpoint, but if you liked it, I would be willing to add a few more scenes from her p.o.v. I'd also like to thank all my guest reviewers since I can't send them a personal message. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to review, and there was one review in particular last week that really made me smile. Thanks so much for reading.