A/N: A bit late, but here it is. Sorry for my tardiness. Along with exams I've had the death of my aunt to cope with. She passed away early Easter morning.

Thanks to my lovely reviewers: allyssagrace16, EllaSwanson, ObscurityProject, Arc. en. ciel, PrincessPeach, Bloodspire, Turmoiler, eclair. belmont, and Generala!


Chapter 9

Link wore a black leather plate and guards over his shoulders, forearms, and calves. Not his favorite color, but he had to admit it went well with the white collared shirt and trousers, gold thread lining the hems in intricate swirls. His most favorite feature, one that suited his tastes, was his cape. Meant for decoration, it was a heavy deep forest green fabric with a clasp at the front that unlatched with a small twist so it would be easy to quickly discard if something did come up and he was required to fight. He hoped sincerely that it did not come to that.

He considered his image in the mirror, his vivid blue eyes more cheerful than they'd been in a while. Perhaps it was because he was reminded of the last big party he'd attended with his fellow villagers. It had been both brilliant and awful. Everything before that dance with Adra on the bridge had been enjoyable, but afterwards…

He clenched his teeth at the reminder of his suffering. The pain of remembering, both physical and emotional, had been all too unbearable, but he'd rather go through that for every rebirth than to remember nothing at all.

He sighed, his hands balling into tight fists then relaxing. He raised one hand and placed it flat against the wall next to the mirror.

He closed his eyes and imagined Zelda's pale heart-shaped face, so soft and beautiful. Why couldn't he be rid of that yearning in his heart? Wasn't she with him now in Zellandus? Was it because she had changed so drastically that she seemed a different person altogether?

He had tried to keep Zelda and Zellandus apart in his mind, but it was difficult. Subconsciously he was not ready to discard that idea because if he did… then that meant that Zelda did not actually exist in this lifetime.

Only time would tell if it was truly her.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?" he called hoarsely then cleared his throat and looked up.

"Mr. Link, do you need assistance getting ready for the festival?" said the attendant that had been assigned to him. A man name Haines, if he recalled correctly.

"No thank you. I am almost finished." He brushed himself down, taking a moment to flatten his fringe.

"Well, if there is anything at all you require..."

Link rolled his eyes in annoyance. "No there is not."

Haines paused at Link's short tone then answered hesitantly. "Very well then."

He listened as footsteps led the attendant away. He could have been a mite more pleasant, he thought in retrospect, but he'd reversed to his old habits unknowingly. When he'd been king it had been both aggravating and useful to have people waiting on his every need. He'd been difficult to deal with and had probably been the major cause of stress for more than one unlucky soul in the castle – more possibly the entire staff, plus the guards.

But Link was largely independent and didn't like others intruding for the most trivial things. He simply didn't need all the activity in his life on top off court dealings.

Link fixed his cuffs and pulled on a black pair of leather gloves. He combed once through his hair and fitted his sword at his waist.

Passing one last glance to confirm he looked presentable, he left the room.

He made his way smoothly down to the presence chamber where Zellandus along with many others were grouped and chatting idly. Zellandus was surrounded by a small retinue of guards, more for show than necessity. Still it offered a small comfort to Link knowing that many people were looking after his highness' welfare.

At his appearance, Zellandus quickly waved him over. Zellandus was too busy being fussed over to properly say anything to Link. Brula stood before him, face crinkled in a frown, her wrinkles more pronounced than they'd ever been, her walking cane poised threateningly on the floor as she murmured to Zellandus silently.

"-you were taught etiquette for a reason. You have manners, so use them. It's bad enough that you've tarnished your image before the nobility. You don't need to sully it further in front of the rest of the kingdom. The peasantry makes up the majority of Hyrule. Above all give them a good impression of yourself and earn their support."

Zellandus gazed at Link and it was the most pitiful look he'd ever seen on the prince. Link merely shrugged and gave a small smile. That was the Sheikah for you. Even talking softly they could render one to tears.

An announcer called out. "Everybody line up for procession."

The procession went as follows: a retinue of guards would lead out of the castle and into the town square, followed by the royal council, after which came Prince Zellandus himself, flanked closely by Link and Commander Deb who'd stay back to keep close to him. Brula will have taken Deb's place among the council members. After the prince came the foreign dignitaries and important persons then came the remainder of those nobles who'd opted to join in the festivities.

It was all very ceremonial and elaborate. Lord Kincaid had planned the entire thing to make it look as impressive as manageable. After all, presentation was what matters most. With this show of order it might allay any existing rumors that the prince was in fact an incurable slob. Now if only Zellandus was able to display that charm that had been ingrained in him to his people then he'd win their vote of confidence at once.

Link took his position as lord Kincaid yelled himself hoarse to a bunch of nobles who seemed to think they deserved to head the procession. They were soon led back to their spots by some of the soldiers, snorting in indignation all the while, their snobby noses jutted in the air.

At last the lord deemed them ready to go.

Link saw Zellandus' shoulders slump as the first guards marched out on the bailey.

"He has to give a speech. He doesn't very much care for those," said Deb, exuding the utmost seriousness now that they were moving. She'd been constantly alert since the episode the other night with the assassin. Two attempts within a fortnight of each other did not bode well.

She'd taken to patrolling the royal wing herself after dark, which accounted for her less than pleasant mood currently. With Brula's extra ward of protection on Zellandus' quarters, Link opting to sleep in the antechamber, and Carus ever in his shadow, Zellandus was the most protected he'd ever be.

Link recalled the assassin and frowned. He'd been so close to catching him, and at the last moment he'd escaped. If only there was some sort of tool that would have allowed him to run faster, or if only he'd brought his item pouch with him he could have shot a deku nut at him with his slingshot or used his boomerang to daze him.

Next time he'd be prepared. If they could catch just one of those assassins and take precautions so that they didn't die all of a sudden like the first two – whom he suspected may have had poison pills stowed away in their mouths – he could glean some information concerning Ganondorf. Who else could have sent them but him? It seemed more intended to taunt than anything. Ganondorf was probably just trying to raise their hackles.

Slowly the great doors that barred the entrance to the castle grounds opened and his eyes were suddenly assaulted with color. Cheers rose from the massive crowd that awaited them at the sight of Zellandus. A podium had been erected which oversaw the entire square. People were pushing against each other as they massed as close to the podium as they were permitted. A regiment of guards formed a semi circle barring their approach. Others – mostly children and teenagers - had gathered on the rooftops in order to see better. Practically the entire town had come out to celebrate. Link was moderately surprised that the square could hold so many people and still have some space leftover. It had been built enormous for a reason.

He followed Zellandus up onto the podium and stood back as Zellandus took his place at the front.

Zellandus spent a moment to look over his people then opened his mouth and began his speech. "My dear citizens of Hyrule…"

Link blinked in mild surprise as the first thing that came out was not some bland remark that could be taken as an insult. Rather, Zellandus was anything but bland, he was… almost humble with the way he presented himself. Link listened with increasing awe as Zellandus spoke fondly of the past king and elicited more than a few tears and sad groans from his people. A few called out shouts of sympathy and Zellandus acknowledged them with his head bowed and a raise of his hand.

From the corner of his eye he saw Brula watching Zellandus with a stern eye.

Ah, so it was she who had written the speech for him. They'd most likely gone over it numerous times until it was drilled to memory. He wouldn't doubt it if Brula had also sought to drill in some of his actions and the appropriate level of emotion for the proper segments. Goddess knows Zellandus had difficulties exuding anything but boredom at social functions. Although Link had to admit, in this moment he proved to be a decent actor.

Zellandus then went on about fair Hyrule, its land and its people and all that was great about it – a fairly long list, perhaps exaggeratedly long as he noticed Brula's hand upon her cane twitching a fair bit. Some of the foreign dignitaries were also shifting a bit impatiently at this point. The people however were practically in awe of him.

Link smiled subtly. Zellandus did not appear the least bit nervous, neither did he stutter or trail off in forgetfulness as some tended to do. Why ever did he not like speeches was beyond Link. His people were already well won over.

His oration reminded him of Zelda, who actually adored speaking directly to the populace. They used the same modicum level of enthusiasm – although Zellandus was a bit more dramatic – and both locked away any inner emotion that could interfere with how they presented themselves. Even in the direst of times Zelda had stood tall and firm. He'd been the only one who'd ever bore witness to her incertitude behind closed doors, however mostly without her knowledge. Even while in his presence she'd shut herself to an extent. He understood what it meant to be a strong leader, but most of the time she hadn't even allowed herself to express her true emotions when in solitude.

As Zellandus spoke with increasing reverence as he mentioned the great Goddesses of Hyrule – they had to interplay somewhere in his speech after all – Link determined to do his job and surveyed the crowd. He'd scoured the area the other day for the most optimal places for assassins to lurk or that would provide the best coverage for snipers. His eyes immediately searched out those niches, but was unable to detect even the glint of an arrowhead.

He felt his Sheikah alert within his shadow, and although he couldn't sense the other Sheikah who were wandering around the square as his shadow could, he still thought he saw on occasion a minute flickering of the light in some places. If they sensed any ill intent they'd report back at once, of that he was certain. But he couldn't rely solely on the Sheikah. As formidable as they were they could miss something just as easily as a normal Hylian.

His eyes briefly breezed over a few heads and then darted back as he spotted someone familiar. He froze.

Suddenly he felt the immense urge to shift nervously but resolutely tamped that down. He quickly finished his scanning then swept his eyes back to Adra and Vrel who were among the crowd and appeared to be whispering heatedly to each other. They had undoubtedly seen him, and he was more than likely the subject of their fervent discussion. Vrel would no doubt find the predicament humorous, while Adra would be stunned beyond belief, possibly confused, and most definitely peeved.

Link beseeched the Goddesses as their eyes connected with his and he gave them both a teasing smirk. As predicted, Vrel's eyes widened before they crinkled in muffled laughter, while Adra looked to be fuming and returned to speaking harshly to Vrel, earning more than a few annoyed glances from the nearby men and women. Luckily their conversation blended with the combined noise of a shifting crowd and other murmurings going on as people commented to each other. They heard none of it at the podium, Zellandus' voice rose above everything else, projected well throughout the square.

Zellandus' segmentation and pitch indicated that he was nearing the end of his speech. At the last words uttered there was silence then all round applause. As bothersome as he was, the people loved him. Link thought that if they were a nation who elected their leaders, Zellandus would win for sure – probably with over ninety percent of the votes too.

"Glad that's over with," Zellandus murmured in a normal tone, and Deb sighed at his flippant attitude.

Zellandus walked to the edge of the podium and jumped off, performing a flip midair in his descent. As he landed the applause heightened to an ear-shattering volume.

It was enough to burst his eardrums.

Link and the others opted to take the stairs down. Wouldn't want to ruin Zellandus' show.

Now came the irksome part, interacting with everybody. Many people headed directly to Zellandus in order to meet their prince up front and to congratulate him on a speech well done. The majority however went off to enjoy the festivities. Music started in the background, enhancing the lively atmosphere. Link's eye was caught by a group of youths about his age wearing uniforms with gold and blue insignias denoting them as academy students. A stage was set up and some of the students were practicing their magic as they prepared to perform.

Link drifted to Zellandus' side. He kept a look out for Vrel and Adra and was for once relatively thankful for his short stature as it hid him amongst the many tall heads. It was too bad that Zellandus rose over many of those heads and stuck out like a golden beacon.

It wasn't too hard for Vrel and Adra to locate him and navigate their way over.

Zellandus pretended to be cheerful as he was swarmed by a group of men and women. A designation of four guards were assigned to him at all times and hovered nearby, eyeing the citizens cautiously, while Link and Deb directly flanked Zellandus.

"Pardon, Link," Zellandus nudged him during a break in his conversation with an aging Hylian. She rambled on ignorant of his lack of interest. "But are you well acquainted with those two coming directly towards us? I dare say that woman seems to be in a rage about something. Hate to get on her bad side, eh? Some poor fool's in for a beating."

How eloquently he put it. Some poor fool! And Link was that fool.

He caught Adra's eye and instantly his shoulders tensed.

Uh oh, looks like she was really mad.

Perhaps he should have thought about the effect of his actions in the long run. He should have considered what Adra and Vrel would think when he'd first agreed to be Zellandus' bodyguard. But as usual he'd gone with the flow. What could he say? He was a free spirit who acted impulsively more often than not. Retrospection was not exactly his forte. If they wanted someone who calculated every single minute little move then they should have befriended lord Kincaid. He practically went mad when things did not go as planned, everything had to be clearly organized. Even now he was migrating around the square looking down his long pointed nose as he oversaw the events and making sure everything was in order.

"They're from my village," said Link to the prince, who nodded sagely.

"A spurned lover? Best to get it over with. Better now than later when she's had more time to stew. Trust me, some closure would do you both good."

Link frowned. "We don't need closure," he said flashing a quick look at both his friends. "Just a bit of explaining."

A firm hand patted his shoulder in sympathy. "Right," said Zellandus. "That's another way to put it. Goddess awful timing she has. Where you're going to find any privacy for your little spat in this hubbub is beyond me."

"Neither Link nor I shall be leaving your side, your highness," said Deb. Her brows pinched downward as she turned to Link. "I suggest you get this over with quickly. We can't afford any distractions right now."

In other words, 'if you don't have your full mind on the job you'll be nothing but a burden'. But he couldn't just get rid of them. They were tied too firmly into his life to so easily push away.

Adra practically stormed her way over to them and by her face 'in a rage' seemed to be putting it lightly. She was near eruption.

Link mentally fortified himself. This wouldn't be good.

"LINK!" she jabbed her fist in his stomach. If it weren't for the leather protection he'd probably have really felt that. From the look of it she used her knuckles to dig in. She must have been bordering on murderous.

He swore her fierce intent gave her the eyes of a Sheikah.

"Why're you here? Where've you been? And-" she stopped, eyeing the prince who did the perfect enactment of an uninvolved bystander, only half-listening to the group of men who'd come to talk to him. "And what did you do?!"

It was that last question that got him. As if he'd done something illegal, horrific, as if that would be the only reason for him ending up where he was. Nothing else could have placed him in position of royal bodyguard except for some accident instigated by some foolhardy action on his part.

Well, he thought crisply.

"Well…" Link trailed.

Goddesses, was that all he could manage?

"You disappeared for two weeks! Two weeks! We didn't know where you'd gone, what happened to you, if you'd been mugged and left for dead, if you'd gone home, or whatever else!" she shrieked.

Link winced. They were attracting stares.

"Listen, Adra," he started, trying to quiet her down.

"Not looking too shabby, Link," said Vrel suddenly, eyeing him up and down and admiring the quality of his outfit.

He hadn't even noticed Vrel's approach, Adra had taken up the entirety of his vision. She was that overwhelming when she was mad.

"What have you been doing?" asked Vrel, an expression of interest on his face.

Link smiled weakly. "You remember how we were talking about temporary jobs?"

His words settled on them and Vrel grinned. "You must have had some good references. What are you supposed to be anyways?"

He tipped his head towards Zellandus. "His majesty's personal guard."

As if just realizing that no more than a few paces separated her from royalty, Adra's eyes bulged as she let out a small 'eep' and covered her mouth. She stared at Zellandus, suddenly frozen to the spot.

Link sighed abjectly.

Vrel gave him a curious look. "You must have a good explanation for this one."

Releasing another sigh – great Farore he was starting to sound like Zellandus – Link supplied a small summary of the basics of what led up to this point, omitting a large portion of the details, adding a few plausible fibs and encoding the whole thing in vagueness.

Nevertheless, Vrel and Adra bought it.

"So you happened to meet his highness at the Temple of Time and he recognized you because your father used to work as a soldier and from there he had you tested and then assigned you as his bodyguard?" said Vrel in confirmation.

Hah, no.

Link nodded. "That's the gist of it."

It was true that his parents had once again unsurprisingly been absent from his life once more. He'd apparently came to them in Heron Falls after having fallen down the great falls themselves at the age of five, with no known origin or information other than his name to identify himself with. For all he knew his father could have been a soldier. In any of his lives he'd always had to go through the laborious process of much guesswork and searching to find his true genealogy, and rarely did they ever discover any connections. In the end he surmised it simply wasn't worth the effort.

He'd resigned himself to accepting that he just didn't have a family, ever.

At least this helped support Zellandus' claim that they'd known each other previously. People would automatically infer that they had been childhood friends.

"Oh Link, you've found out who your parents are. I'm so happy for you," gushed Adra, forgetting all about any previously standing anger. She pulled him into a tight hug and Link could barely see over the white-blond locks of her hair.

He rolled his eyes and patted her lightly on the back. "Yeah, I did."

Another lie. Zelda would have been frowning at him in disapproval by now. His eyes strayed to Zellandus who was engaged in a conversation with another bunch of citizens all wishing him luck and wellness. By the way his pointed ears were twitching Link could assume he'd been paying attention to Link's conversation. Hopefully he'd been taking in all the lies so that he'd be able to support his false claims.

Deb seemed to also have been listening in casually. Link was not sure how this would affect her impression of him. She gave no indication of her inner thoughts. Her features were set in a smooth expression, serene and vigilant.

"You were that impressive huh? To be chosen as the prince's own bodyguard," said Vrel, a bit stoically.

Link pulled away from Adra. "Apparently so. Now, what have you two been doing other than running yourselves crazy trying to find me?"

Vrel once again beamed at him. "Oh please. We worried for about a minute or two then shrugged it off. We knew you'd be fine wherever you were."

Link laughed at the light jest, however Vrel's mannerism indicated that they'd been very worried about him.

"I got a job as the aid of a chemist," said Vrel. "His workshop is near the Keaton's Den. You should see it. He has all sorts of different plants and fungi that I've only read about. He also has small metal flakes, and solutions. I've been helping him make potions and running errands. Adra's been helping out with Odol, the innkeeper." Vrel nudged his shoulder proudly. "Nothing as interesting as what you've been doing. It's obvious who's the major breadwinner in our group."

"You must be paid a fortune to be able to afford that," said Adra, eyes raking over his outfit.

Link opened his mouth to reply then paused. Slowly he twisted his head to look at Zellandus who was conveniently deep in conversation and had covertly inched a few steps away.

"Ah, these clothes had been tailored for me as a gift from his highness. My actual pay comes later in the week," replied Link smoothly.

That was something that he hadn't thought about. It seemed that Zellandus had neglected to discuss the issue about his wage, and Link himself had been too preoccupied to care at the time. How thoughtless of him. He'd be sure to bring it up the next time he and the prince had a chat.

He sensed more than heard the rumbling of amusement from his shadow. Now he understood why Zellandus felt the incessant need to stomp on his shadow every once in a while. It would do no good, but at least it gave the illusion of doing some harm to the Sheikah.

His sleeve was grabbed as Adra suddenly latched onto him. She wasn't looking at him however. Her head was turned in another direction. "Can we…umm… can we meet the prince?" she requested hesitantly.

Link smiled rather wickedly. Maybe he'd unnerve Zellandus for a bit. The prince would only become more wary at Link's behavior now that Link was reminded that he should be paid.

"I'm certain he'd love to meet you," he said boisterously, steering Adra and Vrel over to Zellandus.

"Your highness," Link interrupted the peasant who'd been currently talking with the prince. Zellandus methodically turned around and plastered a beaming smile on his face, jittery hands clasped tight behind his back.

"Link, my faithful devout congenial retainer. What is it that you require?" said Zellandus.

Congenial heh? Only in public…

To the prince he smiled brightly. "What I require comes later," he said with firm meaning behind his tone. "I'd like you to meet my friends, Vrel and Adra."

The prince looked over them and gave the appropriate slight nod as they bowed at the waist. "What quaint names. Tell me, are you enjoying yourselves?"

Adra rose and beamed at him, her excitement shone in her tone of voice. "Yes, of course!"

Vrel nodded in reply. "I've never been to such a huge party."

"Have you had the chance to enjoy any of the games yet?"

Her dress swaying as she shifted, Adra shook her head. "Not yet, your highness. Although I have been eyeing the archery game. I've tried it before but I've yet to succeed in hitting all targets."

At this Zellandus' eyes twinkled. "Really? I've been meaning to give it a go myself. Perhaps I could assist you with your archery? That is, if you require the aid. I don't mean to boast, but I am quite the good shot."

If they'd been in Heron Falls amongst family and friends, Adra would have squealed her joy. But since they were currently surrounded by a massive gathering of strangers, and in the presence of the prince, she settled for an elated smile. "That would be wonderful, your highness!"

"Then shall we?" Zellandus offered her his arm and she looked about to swoon as she eagerly took it.

The prince headed towards the same archery game that had been set up outdoors upon their first arrival to Castle Town. Zellandus peeked over his shoulder, caught Link's harsh stare, and tensed before facing forward.

It was somewhat amusing to see the prince acting as if he were in trouble.

Commander Deb shook her head despairingly. "That boy. Latches on to any and all opportunities that enable him to show off. If only he showed that much passion in meetings." She strode off after him.

Vrel shrugged as he walked beside Link. "Well, at least Adra's happy."

Link nodded absently.

They passed a group of children playing bombshu bowling, and Amy with Nadine, James, and Wist, watching the academy student's magic performance. Nadine and Wist had their eyes glued to it raptly and cheered after each stunning feat. Amy clapped politely while James looked wholly unimpressed. He caught Link's eye as he walked past and sent him a sly grin.

Link tipped his head and revealed a smirk of his own, before looking forward. "Vrel, I know I've been negligent in my friendship with you these past few weeks," even before they'd arrived at Castle Town he'd felt some space between them. "Perhaps later we could go for a drink at the pub?"

Vrel groaned. "You could have at least sent word to us, you know. Adra was out of her mind with worry for you."

Link mentally flinched, guilt welling up within him. "To be honest I didn't quite know how. I hadn't really had the time to give you any notice either."

The taller boy raised an eyebrow. "You don't know how to send out a courier?"

"Next time I'll ask around," replied Link curtly.

Silence fell between them. Link noticed that Deb had pulled ahead to walk next to the prince, fulfilling her duty as his protector and to give Link and Vrel a bit of privacy.

He glanced around, once more checking his surroundings. No matter that he was with his friends now, he still had a job to do.

He noticed some of the nobles and dignitaries standing off in their own little groups snobbishly, but most others flitted around and interacted joyfully with the peasants. Some even roamed around in the company of their personal servants who'd been given the day off. With no barriers between they acted as friends rather than employers and employees.

It was good that they had a chance to celebrate the upcoming blessing ceremony. The day of the ceremony itself was to be one of silent reverence. No partying would ensue, no joyful singing or dancing, no fun and games, it was to be a day of fasting and prayer. And this was not only for the prince; all of the citizens participated as well.

It was an exciting time for the Hyruleans as much as it was a solemn one. With the blessing of the Goddesses their new king would officially be declared.

He knew the routine well, but it wouldn't be the same as any other time he'd experienced this. If only…

"Link, I'm glad with all that you've accomplished," said Vrel, his tone quiet.

Link inspected him, startled. He smiled wryly, thinking Vrel wanted to keep things smooth between them as much as Link did. It was not worth their friendship over.

"Thank you, Vrel. I hope you do well as an assistant," he replied.

For the next half hour they spent their time watching Zellandus practically claim the archery stand, educating Adra on all the things she didn't already know. As good as she was with the bow and arrow, she'd not had the refined tutelage that Zellandus had grown up with, so was not privy to all the little tricks. She took his advice as gold.

Later on the music became livelier and many people began to dance. Zellandus hastened to pull Adra into a quick swing, and Vrel soon followed when he asked a pretty face to oblige him. Only the guards, Deb and Link were left to watch on the sidelines. Their duty didn't allow for them to join in.

Link felt highly attuned to his shadow and tensed at every flicker, just waiting for an alert to sound. So far nothing had occurred.


Dasril slammed the door to the inn, effectively shutting out a good portion of the noise outside.

He glanced around.

A great chandelier hung from the ceiling, posh carpets covered the floor, and paintings of various heroic figures hung on the walls. Seeing as how it was one of the few inns bordering the town square and relatively close to the castle, it was appropriately suited to those of the upper class. They were the only ones able to afford the price and location.

A bored looking boy dozed at the counter, head cradled on his open palm. Dasril marched over and rang the bell.

The boy jerked awake with a cry and looked around dazedly before his eyes settled on Dasril's imposing figure. He jumped to attention and straightened his tunic.

"Welcome sir to the Goddess Plume inn. We-"

"I do not care for your chatter," snapped Dasril, leaning forward. "Tell me, is there anyone under the name of Midraga in residence?"

The boy cleared his throat then recited. "Our patrons have the right to anonymity. We respect the privacy of our patrons and will not hand over any information to any-"

Dasril clenched his teeth. "Do not be difficult. It is a simple question I ask. Tell me if a woman registered as S. Midraga is here."

The boy gulped audibly. "I-I'm sorry, sir, I'm not authorized to divulge that information."

He banged his fist on the table in annoyance, causing the boy to jump in fright. "Where is your employer? Clearly you are having difficulties understanding my inquiry. Someone of greater intellect is obviously needed."

"Ross! What are you doing? How dare you insult our distinguished guest!"

A thin rat-faced man had entered from the back room. His eyes raked quickly over Dasril's severe appearance and overall look of wealth and Dasril literary thought he saw rupees flash in the man's eyes. Quickly he bustled over, pushing the boy aside behind the counter.

"Please excuse him. He's new and doesn't quite know how to treat people of greater importance than he," said the man, sending a scathing look over at the boy who notably flinched back. He then beamed at Dasril. "How am I to serve my lord today?"

Dasril wrinkled his nose at the simpering display and scoffed. "You may start by answering my question in a straightforward manner."

The innkeeper waved and nodded empathically. "Ask away, ask away."

"Is there anyone currently residing here under the name S. Midraga?"

"S. Midraga? I'll look it up right away," the innkeeper said, moving over to a shelf and dragging out a massive ledger. He spread it out over the counter and flipped over half the pages, then swept through them until he arrived at a more recent date. He followed his finger as he sifted through each entry.

Dasril leaned his arm on the counter, tapping his fingers impatiently. He narrowed his gaze on the boy, who shrank back, then turned his sights back to the rat-faced man. Human, he presumed by those round stubby ears.

"Aha! Listed as you said. S. Midraga, room 3A. Rented it about a week ago. Usually I'd reserve them for visiting people of importance, but I remember this one had a certain way about her, and spoke with a pretty little lilt to her language."

He didn't want to guess whether that language was her usual noble accent or if he meant that in terms of money.

Without another word Dasril started out the reception area and located the stairs, proceeding up them quickly. He easily found the room on the third floor and only propriety stopped him from barging in.

He forced the rapid pace of his heart, accelerated from the brief exertion, to calm and breathed in deeply. He tapped thrice on the door with his cane and awaited an answer.

After a short moment the door creaked open. Once she verified who he was, she swung it wide to allow him entrance. He strode in and closed it behind him. Zelda pulled off her hood.

He leaned his cane against the bureau then tugged off his gloves and tossed them onto the vanity.

"Really," he said, smirking. "Midraga? Still going by that old name?"

Zelda sniffed. "He was my first horse. It makes it easier to remember and stay consistent."

She moved back to her chair at the window and carefully slid apart the curtains, opening a slit in order to peer out. Dasril crossed the room and stood above her. She merely continued watching as if unaware that he was there, a mere few inches away from her.

"How did you find me?"

Dasril inclined his head. "I figured you'd want to watch the people make a mockery of themselves. Festivals are for fools and lazy persons, an excuse to avoid work and labor. There were only a few places that provided the best view and that could also easily hide you from the world."

Zelda smiled, neither disagreeing with his statement nor agreeing with it. "Deductive reasoning at its best."

"Quite," said Dasril.

Zelda appeared enraptured by the events taking place below. Dasril grew annoyed. Even when she'd been the feather-brained princess, she had never let her mind wander so much.

He nudged the curtain aside, opening a wider gap from which to see out of. Languidly his sharp brown eyes scanned over the people below, taking everything in with one sweep. Many of them were dancing happily, but Zelda's eyes were not trained on that. He followed her gaze to see what had her so mesmerized.

It was that man, Link. He stood beside Commander Shira, watching the dancers, or more specifically, the prince who was dancing among them. He admired Link's integrity and his adherence to duty, but when he really thought about it he found Link lacking. Nevertheless, Zelda's focus was riveted.

Dasril forced back a scowl and yanked the curtains shut.

She shot him an irritated glare. "Dasril."

"If you so enjoy watching, why do you not go down and partake in the festivities yourself. Or do you desire to live vicariously for the rest of your life," he said scornfully.

Zelda pushed back a loose strand of hair behind a pointed ear. "I cannot. You know I cannot. It is not worth the risk. As long as I do not exist in this world I am safe to…"

Safe to what? Dasril's eyebrows furrowed. What was so important that she had to erase her existence? What was she searching for?

He didn't ask her straight out because he knew what her reaction to that would be. Instead he surprised her by grasping her gloved hand and pulling her up.

She stood on her feet, curiously watching him.

He tugged at the hem of her glove, suddenly wanting to feel her skin on his. She started to pull back.

"Don't…"

He acquiesced and contented himself with simply holding her clothed hand in his own. He enlaced their fingers and she briefly flashed her eyes down at their intertwined hands and back up, brow raised in humorous inquiry.

"You do exist, Zelda," he said lowly, and squeezed her hand in emphasis. "To me, you do exist."

She gazed at him sadly. "To you and to you only. But it is not a full existence. No other knows who I am. I acknowledged the results of my actions long before I carried them out. I am fine with this."

He didn't think so. He caught her forlorn gaze and pulled her closer, his other hand brushing against the small of her back. He would show her. "Dance with me."

From within the room the volume of the music was muffled giving it a softer tone, perfect to move slowly with. In some way he'd make sure she was able to enjoy the festival herself.

She hesitated for a moment then smiled faintly, accepting. Smoothly they matched the steps of a serene slow dance, Dasril steering her carefully away from obstructive furniture.

So small was she, compared to his height. So delicate in his arms.

He'd been anxious ever since her close escape from the castle a few nights prior. He chuckled amusedly at the memory. He'd been taken by surprise when she'd flown completely over his head. However she managed that he couldn't fathom, but he suspected some form of magic, or rather some brilliant acrobatic move since he hadn't sensed any magic at work from her. That could be plausible, he'd seen her training a few times, some form of fighting that expressed agility, speed, and strength all in one.

He looked down at her and caught her eyes closing tiredly, but still they danced.

He thought about Link, that it had been he who had almost caught her that night. Everything she worked for could have been exposed by that one nuisance of a man, or worse, she may have been thrown directly in prison for their idiotic assumption that she was an assassin.

He was not entirely sure why she had been at the castle that night, but he suspected it had something to do with Link.

He held Zelda closely and she leaned into him, allowing the music to carry her feet. He swayed them gently.

The man may be more of a nuisance than he'd thought. Perhaps it was time to do away with him.


Vrel felt weird as he stumbled away from the dancing, kissing his partner on the cheek before she was giddily swept away by some other man who wanted his turn. He wasn't happy, but neither was he upset, he was somewhere far off and couldn't quite distinguish what he felt.

He plopped down on a bench to quell the dizzying sensation in his head. All that twirling had made him giddy. He wished he could have brought Marle to this. She'd have loved the entire thing, and possibly would have done her best to dance every song.

It had been a little over two weeks and he missed her. He was beginning to miss much of Heron Falls the longer he stayed away. City life was too big for him. It was too loud and crammed. He didn't think he'd like to live here indefinitely. He was anxiously awaiting the moment they moved on with their journey. He still wanted to see the Gorons and Kakariko village. Adra did too, but she was not as eager as him to leave, content to stay as long as she pleased in Castle Town. Not to mention they'd both been worried about Link so had had little time to actually fully enjoy Castle Town. But it seemed he'd been doing alright.

It was shocking, seeing Link in those clothes, seeing him standing up on that podium behind the prince, that had been just… just wow. He understood why Link had done it. If he'd been offered a position like that he would have jumped at the chance. But how in all of Hyrule did he become that good with the sword? It didn't make sense. Adra had been classified as an expert with the bow in Heron Falls, yet even her skill level didn't compare to the people at Castle Town, the true masters, as Vivienne had pointed out. Shouldn't it be the same for Link? He was decent with the blade, better than many in their village, but how could he compare with the people here? Was there some difference between him and Adra that he hadn't figured out?

He'd been practicing with the sword just as long as Link, if not longer, but then how come he wasn't as good? Did it have something to do with natural talent? In which case, logically he should be superior. He was larger and tougher, was a sharp instincts and quick reactions, while Link was lithe and small. It just didn't add up.

He looked over at Link who was watching the prince, all seriousness, none of that boyish playfulness that he remembered from before. Something had changed in Link, ever since his birthday celebration, he had shaped up into someone more knowledgeable, someone more in control. Vrel didn't know if he liked this new Link or not, but he was willing to see what would happen. Maybe when they went out for drinks later he'd be able to question him.

"Well, I hadn't expected to run into your handsome figure again so soon."

Vrel jolted at that familiar sultry voice that he'd committed to memory and caught the vibrant gaze of Vivienne Dalousi. He gaped as he stared at her. From her vivid red locks falling in loose curls around her head, to the tight pale blue dress she wore, the bodice hugging her trim waist and bust so that certain parts of her were emphasized, she looked stunning.

She smiled at him as if nothing else in the world would have pleased her more at that moment than the sight of him.

She glided over and sat down next to him. Vrel felt his voice catch in his throat, suddenly unable to speak.

"Don't you look dapper today? Are you on a break, hon? You don't mind if I join you do you?"

He shook his head, no.

Her smile broadened. "Good."

He fought for control over himself, but it was a losing battle. Not even Marle had ever made him this jittery. It was so nerve wracking he didn't know what to say or what to do.

Luckily, Vivienne proved herself to be an assertive woman. She easily took the reigns of the conversation.

"Are you having a good time? Be sure to have loads of fun, it's not every year that a new monarch assumes the throne. You might only experience a party like this once more in your life and by then you'll be too old to properly take part in it."

"Are you enjoying yourself?" was the only thing Vrel thought to say. He flushed, realizing he was just reiterating her words back at her. But for the life of him he was having trouble thinking for himself.

His heart rate quickened as Vivienne gazed at him sidelong. "I'm pleased that you asked. Yes, I am. But I would derive even more enjoyment if you were to take me to dance."

At her words, Vrel leapt to his feet and valiantly offered her his hand. She smiled and grasped it and Vrel easily pulled her to her feet. The heels she wore gave her extra height, yet he still loomed over her. His stomach fluttered as he lead her to the center of the square, where the people were milling around, about to dance.

"I'm not too good…" he murmured, gingerly placing his hands where they were supposed to go. He was vividly aware of the sudden reddening of his face and ears.

Vivienne laughed. "Nonsense, hon. I saw you with those other girls and you were remarkable."

Confidence boosted, he took the first steps of an intimate slow dance. He hoped desperately that she couldn't feel him trembling. He was half elated and scared out of his wits to be dancing with her.

She patted his forearm. "Relax. Let the music soothe you, enjoy it."

It was her voice that was more soothing to him and he let it flow over him freely, immersing himself in her tranquil drawl.

"There you have it."

They danced through the song without saying another word to one another. He hardly realized when the song ended and the next began. It was as if he were in a dream. Her voice prompted him to wakefulness.

"Tell me about yourself?" she asked smoothly, her eyes darkening with the heavy atmosphere.

Vrel licked his lips. "What do you want to know?"

"About your life, your important people, friends, family, about you."

This was an exchange conversation. If he spoke about himself she'd be obligated to reveal contents of her life as well. That to him would prove much more interesting.

"I live in Heron Falls with my parents and five younger siblings. Two girls and three boys. We own the local apothecary," he paused here, suddenly embarrassed at his humble origins. He remembered Vivienne handing over her ring to Adra and the women saying that she must have been a noble or a woman of wealth to have done so. How could he compare with that?

"Go on," she urged, and Vrel swallowed.

"Er…ah, I'm friends with Marle, Adra, Leaf and Link…" There, he'd answered all her questions - awkwardly at that. What did he say next?

"Link? Is he the man over there?"

Vrel glanced over and nodded. "Yes, that's him."

"He looks rather boorish. Doesn't know the meaning of fun, does he?"

He laughed and grinned easily. "Sometimes he can be that way. But generally he is more lively than the rest of us. He's just out of sorts at the moment, is all."

Vivienne nodded, her eyes sparkling in the fading evening light. "Hmm, but he is talented. Why else would the prince have chosen him as a bodyguard? There must be no other person who proves to be his equal. Doesn't he look dashing the way he stands so seriously keeping watch over his prince? I wager any girl would leapt at that bit of scrumptiousness."

He didn't much like the way she was gazing at Link and quickly spun them away, eliciting a laugh from her.

"Jealous are you? Not a very flattering emotion, hon."

Jealous? Of Link?

Maybe he was a bit, but then Link seemed to be getting the best out of life. They were practically equal, he and Link. It was unfair that Link did better. He got to be the prince's personal guard, he got to stay in the castle, whereas Vrel had never so much as stepped a foot inside the grounds. Meanwhile he and Adra had to keep their rooms at the inn, and although it was comfortable and the price promised not to run them dry anytime soon, it still wasn't the same.

"But…" said Vivienne. "It shows that you know what you want. The next after that is ambition. If you know what you want, you should do whatever possible to attain it."

He knew what he wanted. He wanted Link's skill, his sudden notability; he wanted more than Link could ever have. And there was also...

Vivienne pulled his attention back to her. "I can help you. One must never have to rely solely on themselves, they should have others to depend on."

"Vivienne?" Vrel said, bewildered.

"My name… it sounds so pure on your tongue."

Vrel momentarily froze, breath caught.

She leaned in close, partially pulling him down to her. It wasn't that great of a distance, even without the heels she was strikingly tall. "You can depend on me, I assure you, as I know that I can also depend on you. If ever I need a favor, I can be sure to ask you, right?"

Without hesitance he replied, "Yes. Anything you need, anything that I can help you with, I'll fight storm and fire to aid you."

How could he not for such a captivating beauty?

The song slowly came to an end and Vivienne pulled away, smiling alluringly, her eyes flashing darkly.

"I'll hold you to that," she said suavely. "I must go now, but don't fret, hon. I'll be seeing you again real soon."

She cupped the back of his neck and brought his head down, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. She then turned and strode away. Soon she had disappeared into the crowd and Vrel was left standing there, all his mental functionings at a standstill. He gingerly touched the area of his cheek that her lips had so recently frequented, then looked over at Link who was speaking with that knight lady.

He frowned. Link didn't really care about them did he? It hadn't taken him a second thought to drop him and Adra in favor of something better, as if they were disposable.

Vrel felt his heart pumping with anger and fisted his hands. He stormed down the street away from the square and away from the direction of the Keaton's Den. He was looking for a pub that was open. He wanted to drink by himself. Link could find his own pub or dip into the castle stores for all he cared. He just wanted to be alone.