Zelda woke up and frowned, examining her surroundings. It took her a few minutes to recall that she'd fallen asleep in Link's bed, and that was, apparently, where she'd stayed for the night. She looked over at him, and he grumbled and mumbled, rolling over and opening his eyes and staring at her. She smiled.
"Good morning."
"Mm." He rolled onto his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. She reached over and touched his hair, running her fingers through it. The rest of the castle wouldn't be active for another hour or so, she knew. She moved closer and put one hand on his back, kissing his cheek. Link lifted his head and turned to look at her, one eyebrow rising up.
"What is it?" he asked sleepily.
She shrugged. "Nothing, really."
"Hm." He stretched out, and Zelda straightened up, her heart pounding. She started to pull up her gown as Link stared.
"What are you doing?" he asked, asking it because he was sure of what the answer was but he hoped it was different.
"I…" she grew bright red, embarrassed to even ask him.
He sat up and took her gown, holding it down. "Don't. You never know when someone might walk in."
They both looked at the door, as if someone was walking in just then, but no one did.
Zelda looked back to him strangely. "Are you… expecting someone?"
"No, but… don't uh… compromise yourself."
"Then…" She started to straddle him again, and as badly as he wanted her, he stopped her.
"Don't. Just. Don't."
"Why not?" she asked, offended. "Why aren't I good enough?"
"It's not that you're not good enough!"
"Is it because I'm not her?!"
He sighed. "Well, in a way, yeah."
Zelda was shocked; she'd expected some other sort of frantic explanation.
"But can I at least explain myself?" Link said quickly, while she was still processing this.
After some consideration, she nodded and settled down on the bed, but her stern countenance told him she would brook no stumbling.
Link took a deep breath, thought for a minute, then looked at her and began.
"You're alike in the fact that you're both very important to me. You're both very much a huge influence in my life, for multiple reasons, and I care deeply about both of you.
But, the difference is that Verla meant so much to me, but in the grand scheme of things her only sphere of influence was in the ranch. Once you left it, she was just another person, whose problems stayed kinda… contained. But my whole world then was the ranch, so… you see, it changed."
"Now that I'm here with you, living in the castle… your influence, your problems, and your decisions are huge. They can change the country, maybe the world. Even if I ran to escape you, I'd have to go to a whole 'nother country, and even then I'd have to choose one where you weren't allianced with 'em. So… when you ask me to…"
He struggled for a word here, not sure which one would fit without being too forward.
"… to do those things with you, that's why I'm reluctant. Because Verla, I could get away with making a few mistakes with her. At least, I used to. But with you, something that major like getting you knocked up or something can… it might look badly upon you, or something. It'll reflect on you, on Hyrule, and I don't want to ruin that."
Zelda was very still, her hands folded in her lap as she thought over what he said. Link was tense as he waited for her thoughts, but he hoped she saw reason and his stance and justification.
"I understand," she said finally, and he relaxed. She smiled at him, a brief thing, and then looked down at her hands. "It is true. I haven't been thinking of the throne as much as I should have, I guess. Everyone's been telling me to find a proper suitor and marry him, but at least I'm able to put it off with our financial situation."
Link felt the cold gnawing panic in his stomach. She would leave him too, one day, when Hyrule had the money for a wedding. This, too, was temporary. Zelda looked at him and was truly startled to see he was rubbing his eyes.
"Are you alright?" she asked, scooting closer and touching his shoulder.
"Uh, yeah. Just dust or something." He coughed and blinked hard before turning back to her. "Any uh… any suitors you're thinking of?"
She shook her head, nudged up against his side.
"Do you think it'd be a mistake?" she asked quietly. "If we made love?"
He shook his head. "No, of course not. For us, for you and me, no. If you wanted to. But if you fell pregnant… that might be a problem. I can only handle one kid at a time, you know." He tried to make a joke of it, but Zelda didn't respond. She wasn't sure, but she thought there were ways to… prevent a pregnancy from taking hold. But she would research those in private.
\
It was lunch for many of the castle employees. They lurked in the kitchen with their rations, laughing and talking as they ate, the only half hour of their day where they could sit without reprimand from the head of the house (separate from Zelda, of course, though she wouldn't have cared as long as they were doing their work).
"I heard an interesting rumor," said Bets, batting her eyelashes and looking around the table to make sure she had attention.
"Pff, if it's about where Clem lost your engagement ring again…" There was laughter; Bets and Clem, one of the night shift guards, had long been the running joke for their eternal engagement.
Bets waved one hand, used to the mockery. "Oh no no, not about me, but I did hear it from Clem. He says the queen's bed was empty last night."
There was some muttering and head-shaking. Blah blah, the crazy insomniac queen, blah.
"What's she doin', wandering the halls like a ghost?" asked Maddy, laughing.
"Just one hall, a very short one," Bets said with a wink, touching the side of her nose, then leaning in. The rest of the table leaned towards her as she said in a not-really whisper, "the one leading to His Lordship's rooms."
There was some shocked laughter and some eye rolling and again, the muttering. Big deal; people had suspected them for lovers for months.
One man, Dru, realized he was sitting next to Tilly. He nudged her with his elbow. "Hey. You're the queen's maid. What did you see?"
Tilly glanced at him, chewing thoughtfully on her bread while she considered her future at the castle, among other things, very carefully. Finally, she swallowed and shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't noticed anything unusual."
Bets flung her hands up. "Clem said you were the one who told him she was gone!"
Tilly turned her head slightly and looked away, lifting her nose. "If you believe everything Clem says, it's no wonder y'all are still engaged."
There were some low groans and laughs at that, and Bets turned bright red. It was rumored he'd been seen making out with Rinni at the Kerzenacht soiree. Clem denied it, Rinni only grinned when asked, and Bets refused to talk about it.
The table moved on to a new topic.
/
After a fast breakfast (alone in her rooms), Zelda headed down to the accounting room. They'd been expecting her, and a few appeared to have been working all night to calculate. They looked exhausted, but better. She was welcomed in and sat in a comfortable chair at one of the desks, where the head accountant was holding a slip of paper.
"Your Majesty, we are pleased to announce that we have finally calculated the earnings for the craft fair and auction, including the taxes resulting from the project."
Zelda smiled. "Good. Please, how much?"
"Our vault now stands at near 50,000 rupees."
Zelda's face faltered. Only… only 40 was brought in? She was hoping for a far bigger number.
"Are you sure?" she asked politely. Maybe a zero was dropped somewhere…
"We counted thrice, Your Majesty. We are quite sure." The head accountant lost his sunny disposition when he saw Zelda's face, and he cleared his throat. "That also accounts for payments made to counties and villages that require recovery assistance, repair supplies for when the spring returns to begin rebuilding the walls, the hospital bills for Masters Gordin and Dorin Whiteley—
"Hospital bills?" Zelda was puzzled. "How big were those?" She had been feeling better that it had actually been a far larger amount, and most of their debts had been chipped away, but now she was suspicious.
"A month-long stay amounted approximately to eighteen thousand—
"EIGHTEEN THOUSAND?!" she shrieked. "FOR BRUISES?!"
The accountant flinched. The guards outside the door glanced in, curious and alert. The apprentice looked up from where she was trying to refile the books under the recordkeeper's nose. Link winced and looked up from checking inventory in the stables, looked around, then decided it was nothing and went back to work.
"A month-long stay for a broken nose?!" she snapped. "How did the doctor justify this!?"
"It says on the bill they claimed psychological trauma from the attack, and were not comfortable leaving the hospital until they were ready."
Zelda had gone pale with rage, the same anger she'd turned on Link.
"That… that… double-crossing… foolhardy…"
The accountant shrank back.
"I will pay him for the setting of the nose and the first few days of the stay, but nothing more! How could he do this! He's been our family doctor for years—
"Oh, no, Your Majesty. The royal doctor charged nothing. This bill comes from their county doctor."
She held her hand out for the bill without saying a word, and the accountant handed it over. Zelda read carefully, gritting her teeth, and mentally placing the county in Hyrule's map. "This county is too small. They don't have a hospital. Probably slept on a cot in the back of the doctor's house."
She slapped the bill down. "We will not pay it. Grown men should know how to handle themselves against a little scuffle."
"Very well. Also, the bill for Vicereine D'Angrive's stay at the Broad Tree hotel…"
"No. Why in Din's name is she sending that to us?"
"She claims it was for a diplomatic visit, as emissary of Termina."
"I didn't even know she was coming. Refuse it and send it to her husband."
"Yes, Your Majesty." He scribbled quickly on his scratch paper. "Therefore, if we exclude the hospital stay and the diplomatic visit, that brings us to… 65,000 brought in after payments."
"That's better, but not much," Zelda said with a frown. She looked around and them and smiled, all the same. "Thank you so very much for all of your hard work. I appreciate everything you've done for the country. I truly do."
"We are glad to assist you, Your Majesty."
She stood, bowing to them, and left to go back to her rooms. She had some thinking to do, and she wanted privacy.
\
Link found there wasn't much work out in the stables, so he caved and took Epona out for a good walk. She was almost dancing with excitement as he saddled her up and climbed on, walking out of the stable area and towards the open fields. He struggled to keep her at a trot on their way, but once they were there, she took off like a shot, thundering through the snow, even when it almost got up to her chest.
He tried to keep her slowed down, worrying about unseen danger, but Epona ignored his commands, thrashing around in the snow like an excited puppy. Finally, she was calmed down enough to be content with a light canter, kicking up snow with her feet and sucking in the cold air, glad to be out where it was open.
They walked randomly, wherever she wanted, really. They followed the castle ground boundaries outside of the walls, the land looking clean and fresh. That was the comforting thing about farms and ranches. The land could heal, and planting could be tried again if it was a bad crop. Horses and cows and pigs would keep on reproducing. It was sustainable.
The castle, of its stability he was less sure. He turned to look at it now, worrying. What did it depend on? Taxes and import fees, money from exported goods, and the strength of its allied countries. He wondered how savagely the disagreement with Termina was hurting them. Aside from her occasional rant at him, Zelda spoke very little about the country to him, shouldering her burden alone. He hated for her to feel that it was her only choice. Was it?
He sighed, his breath pluming like smoke in the cold. Some day, she would have to find someone to share the burden with, wouldn't she? He figured he would move on after that. Maybe that was why he was so… reluctant. Look at how little good it'd done him last time to get attached. But he loved her—yes, he did, he knew it, and there was no stopping that. If he just never said it, he would probably survive alright when…
He ruffled Epona's mane, and she snorted in delight, turning her head to look at him. They could go anywhere. When he knew the country was truly going to be alright, they could go anywhere.
They traipsed slowly through the snow for a while longer, then Epona, of her own volition, headed to the stables, deciding she was cold. He hopped off when they got to the stables and got her inside, putting some warm blankets over her once the saddle and bridle were off and hung up. Then he led her back to her stall, considering bringing her some warm sweet tea. He would probably have some for himself, if there was any available.
He was happy to discover that indeed there was some prepared, and he took some out to the stables in a bucket, putting little chunks of snow into it to cool it before giving it over to Epona. She drank greedily until the bucket was half-dry, and then he hung it up by a little nail on the inside of her stall for such a purpose. He kissed her nose and smiled at her, before deciding to go back inside and warm up by the fire.
\
Verla went home.
The carriage ride was rough, despite the cleared path to Termina, and she'd had a headache off and on all day. Brought on by the baby, the damned useless lump of flesh inside of her, her last tie to her life of freedom. They had to stop a few times for her to heave in the snow, a useless effort that brought up nothing. Their ride was slow.
Her family greeted her warmly when she returned. Her mother looked much younger and rested from being relieved of the stress of farm life, and her father was growing rotund on the good food that he no longer had to fight the earth for.
Theo was beaming at her and she smiled in surprise to see him there.
"I'm glad you came home before I left again."
"A… again? I thought…"
"Yes, I know, but the king has some very important assignments for me in the northern countries. He wants to work out some mining operations with the Gorons up there, have some treaties with them."
"Oh." Verla tried to smile. This happened a lot when she was in Theo's house. She put one hand to her stomach in discomfort.
"How was the fair?" Theo asked her quickly as he headed to the front hall to get his hat and coat.
"It was good. I guess there was a wild party after the auction, and Her Majesty bought some fabric right under my nose."
"Not a responsible buyer, is she?"
"No. If she keeps up like that she'll run the… the place into the ground." Verla was panting a little trying to keep up with Theo's rapid feet.
"Then all we have to do is wait and pick up the pieces," Theo said quietly.
"Is the king seriously planning it?"
"If he believes my account of our argument, and if you would be willing to tell him about what you saw during the craft fair…" He looked her over and, for a moment, he paused and smiled, touching her cheek. "You're beautiful, you know?"
Verla smiled back. "I love you," she told him.
"I love you. I should be back within a few weeks, Farore willing." He kissed her, then patted his hat onto his head. Verla presumed the carriage was already packed again with his things.
"Have a safe trip!" she called out, but he didn't seem to hear her.
Verla turned and returned to the room with her parents, sitting for a while and refusing food and drink. Even the smells of the smoky fire made her feel a little ill, and after some time she went back outside into the cold, where she felt most comfortable, breathing it in deep into her lungs. She felt too hot all the time now.
They had everything. She got a new dress once a month (depending on social events) and the old ones were set aside, in case she had a girl, to be altered down for her. They had ten magnificent horses in the stable. Her own was a gorgeous caramel color with a dark mane and tail that she'd named Hipponus, though she was no longer riding. She had more jewelry than she could count; when a bracelet lost a stone or an earring's mate disappeared, she would send them off for donation, or have the stones reset into a new piece.
Theo's promotion had come shortly before she got to his house. She'd rented a carriage from the first place that she came to and followed the paths towards Termina, grateful for being able to sit and rest. After a week of travel, they were going slowly and bearing heavily to the right, letting a second carriage that was traveling much faster the other way pass them. Verla looked out of the window, curious, and when she recognized the D'Angrive coat of arms, she shouted and pounded on the walls.
"Driver! Get that carriage to stop!"
He did what he could, and the D'Angrive carriage did halt, but only to tell him they were picking up the future Vicereine D'Angrive.
"That's me!" Verla shouted, and the driver repeated.
The D'Angrive driver chuckled until Verla jumped out of the carriage and slogged over in her torn dress.
"I am the future Mrs. Theo D'Angrive. I demand you take me there at once," she commanded him, holding her shoulders straight.
The driver compared her face to a drawing of who Theo told him was the woman they would be looking for, and when he made the connection, he jumped down from the carriage and hailed her driver.
"I have a trunk in there," she told him, lifting her chin.
"Of course, My Lady. Please, I will take it for you." He opened the door to the carriage and she climbed in, glad for the few minutes to stretch her legs, and he collected her trunk (what was in it to make it so heavy?!) and strapped it on. There was some careful maneuvering to turn it around in the narrow road, but soon they were off, back towards Termina.
A week later, she and Theo were married in an opulent, last minute ceremony, and they made love in the massive bed in their room (or what became their room). He held her close after that and told her he loved her, and he was so glad to finally be with her.
And that was the only time he had a chance to touch her, because suddenly he was very important to the king to negotiate with Hyrule (seeing as he had a Hylian-born wife) and, when that fell through, he was to help make plans for reviving the country with a Terminian leader, should Hyrule fall. It might even be Theo who would be suggested as the leader of this second country.
So he was terribly important, and barely had time to spend with his new wife, always running out the door for luncheons and conferences and meetings and…
And Verla stayed home, alone, and when she started to be sick in the morning she knew she was tied into the family forever, unless the baby was born blond-haired.
And when she realized that it might be Link's child, she prayed that she would be able to start over with him (and she had a little money; she'd kept the trunk of her family's savings shut tight and tucked under their bed), which made her go to the fair, but those hopes were swiftly dashed. How could he be falling in love with that woman? She was so solemn and strange, she had tiny breasts and was basically a column from the front, nothing like herself! Verla would have called witchcraft if she didn't think she'd be beheaded for it.
So now, that she was… home, she went up to her room, wondering how she could have lost him so easily, in such a short amount of time. Not even his baby would bring him back, she feared.
\
"Are you ready for dinner, Your Majesty?"
Zelda looked up from where she'd been staring a hole in the table, thinking. There were several books scattered as well, about finance and budgeting, and strangely, a few on party planning, strategically covering up one on herbalism and fertility.
"Yes, I think I'm ready," she said, smiling at Tilly. "Thank you."
"Did you want to go downstairs, or did you… want to take it in your room?"
Zelda considered. "It might be… nice to have it downstairs with everyone." She did not want to say 'healthier'.
Tilly smiled and nodded her head. "Very good." She left to set the table for dinner.
Zelda stood and looked around the room, not sure what she wanted or needed. After a few minutes, she decided to change, putting on a loose-fitting dress that belted just above the waist. She sat down at her dresser and went through a whole ritual, putting in earrings and combing her hair. The ritual distracted her, in a way that was comforting. When she was done, she stared at herself in the mirror, looking closely at herself. A few small stress pimples, but if she ignored them, they would heal. She tried to recall Verla's face, trying to identify any small similarities or differences between them, comparing herself to the Vicereine. Verla's nose was a little more upturned, her dark eyes brighter, and… more shapely. Zelda finally decided that this liver-chewing was little comfort, and she stood up and left to go downstairs for dinner.
Link appeared from one of the lounge rooms. He'd almost fallen asleep with the sound of the flames and the comfortable chair, so he looked rather rumpled and sleepy when he encountered Zelda.
"Hey," he said with a smile to her, falling in step.
"You look exhausted," Zelda said in his ear. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's a good exhausted, you know?"
She smiled. "I'm glad."
"Took Epona out for a ride."
"I'm glad! How is she?"
"She'll be much better, I'm sure. Seemed happier." He glanced at her. "What about you?"
Zelda shrugged one shoulder. "I'd… rather not talk about it right now, I think. I'll just get upset."
He frowned and put a hand on her waist, after looking back and forth. "They calculated the uh… earnings?"
"Yes."
"Less than you hoped?"
"You know, I tried not to … to think of a number, to give myself any ideas or… or wish for a certain amount, but…"
"You still did," he muttered.
"I mean, at least the number they gave me was after all the payouts…" She frowned. "Those idiots that… that you had trouble with, can you believe they wanted us to pay for a month-long stay in a hospital in their county? It doesn't even have one!"
"A month-long stay?" Link asked, confused. "Who did they think they would fool with that?"
"I've no idea! And then that bitch tried to charge us for her hotel stay—" Zelda stopped herself too late; she felt awful about calling Verla that in front of Link, but she'd been on a roll.
"What? Who?" Link stepped back to look at her. "Verla? Verla tried to charge for… do you know how much money she has?!" He exhaled sharply in anger, thinking.
"I told them not to pay it, to send it off to Theo. She tried to bill it as a diplomatic expense. I'm not falling for that."
"I'll pay for it, if they refuse."
Zelda didn't want to insult him, but she said, "You don't have the money. You donated it all to the castle."
"Then everything I earn—
"No. Don't worry about it. We're not paying for it and you're not responsible."
"She's carrying my…"
Zelda cut him off, her hands going over his mouth. "Stop. Just because of that, you can't lay everything on the line for her. It might not even be yours. You have to remember that."
Link kissed her hands, and Zelda wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek to his. She sighed as he rubbed her back. He wanted to kiss her, but there were too many little nooks where someone could be hiding, watching. They shouldn't even be hugging like they were. After another minute or so, he let her go.
"Let's go eat something," he whispered. Zelda nodded her agreement.
\
Dinner was quick but good; deer roasts, potatoes cooked in with the meat and soaking up the flavor, plenty of (vinegary) wine and even some sugared fruits for a dessert.
They were out of flour for now; there would not be bread for some time.
Odelia was there, sitting near Her Majesty's chair, and as the group chatted quietly, she leaned over slightly.
"Your Majesty, the duke in Roldin I told you about…"
Zelda frowned a little. "What about him?"
Link was listening, his eating slowed.
Odelia looked down at her hands. "He wrote to me and said he would like to meet you at some point, if possible…"
Zelda narrowed her eyes. "I told you that I won't be considering anything of the sort for a long, long time. Please tell him that I will contact him when I am ready. You are not to discuss my future any further with anyone but myself."
"Yes, of course." Odelia looked embarrassed and a little worried, and she stared at her plate.
Link said nothing, but continued eating.
\
After dinner, they walked upstairs, Link escorting Zelda on his arm. She wanted to look at her books for a while, and he was considering turning in early. She stopped at her room door and looked at him. "Did you want to stay for a bit?"
"Uh, sure."
They went inside, Zelda glancing briefly at the table where her books had been neatly piled, the important ones on the bottom. Tilly was not in the room at the moment; presumably she was still lingering at the dinner table. Zelda looked around and then kissed him, then she sat down at the table and invited him to join her.
"So," she started with a sigh. "We made a great deal less than I expected. At least, after paying off some of the aid to various communities, purchasing supplies to repair the walls in the spring, importing food, things like that…"
"But… that's good. That means a lot of stuff was taken care of already, so that the money can sit in the vault as is. You have it as savings."
"I suppose… but I still would have liked to have had more."
He nodded and looked around for a bit, while she sat mostly still, thinking.
"It might be too soon to do anything extravagant," she said finally, "but maybe in the spring, after planting…"
Link drummed his fingers. "What about like… racing horses?"
Zelda looked at him in surprise. "Horse racing."
"Yeah, you know. People with prized horses can submit them and… have a grand prize or something, charge entry fees and have bets and stuff."
Zelda thought about it. "Maybe…"
They were sitting in silence for a few minutes, and when Link started to read the titles of the books—
"Does it bother you?"
"What?" He turned to look at her sharply.
"That… when she, when Odelia brought up… the duke she knows."
"Oh. Well… Odelia thinks he'd make a good king, right?"
Zelda sighed. "She keeps emphasizing that he has a great deal of money, so maybe she just wants us to marry to get money for the country, and then…"
"Are you going to?"
She sighed. "I don't know. I wish people would quit asking me."
"Sorry."
She waved it off. Link took her hands in his, touching the knuckles with his thumbs.
"What is it?" she asked, watching his hands. His skin was rough and she thought suddenly of those hands on her and she shivered. Link didn't notice, and he shook his head slightly.
"Nothin'." His face was somber. Some day, someone would ask her. "Uh… you're not putting it off because of… us… are you? If there's an 'us'."
"Isn't there? No, I'm not putting it off. We legitimately cannot afford any sort of major ceremony." She sighed and rubbed her face with one hand, pulling it free of Link's grasp. When she finished, she returned it to his hand. Link stared at her, and then he leaned across the table and kissed her. Zelda squeezed his hands, and they kissed, lingering at each other's lips.
"Not very comfortable at this table, is it?" Zelda hinted. Link chuckled, and they let go of each other. Link considered, looking at her bed, and then the tapestry with the hidden door.
"Is my room better?" he asked.
Zelda considered this. "It is… but…"
Link moved towards her, touching her cheek. He chuckled as he looked at her. "If you want to stay here, that's fine."
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him quite fiercely, pressing her body against his. Link stumbled back a little as he held onto her, kissing her back. They worked their way to the bed, and Link sat down while Zelda climbed onto his lap, kissing him deeply. He fell back onto the bed with her on top, and he ran his hands over the front of her dress and down to her waist sash, fumbling at it, then hesitating.
Zelda sat up and undid it herself, throwing the sash to one side. She started to pull off her dress and Link stopped her, grabbing her hands.
"C… can I do it?" he asked.
"Of course. Please."
Link put his hands on the edges of her dress, pushing it up—
The door opened and Zelda screamed. Link pushed her off and to one side, and flung himself over the opposite edge of the bed, ducking behind it.
"Your Majesty?" Tilly asked in confusion, blinking, her face bright red.
Zelda smoothed down her dress and cleared her throat. "Yes, what is it?"
"The… apprentice recordkeeper has information for you about the Vicereine from Termina. Her name, from the marriage records."
Link frowned to himself. What?
"Oh?" Zelda jumped up immediately. "Good. I will go see her immediately." Zelda found her sash and belted her dress again, quickly, breezing by Tilly. Tilly stared at the ground while the queen passed, and then she glanced towards the bed, where Link was peeking over from the opposite side.
"Sir," said Tilly quietly, bowing her head.
Link cleared his throat and stood up, smoothing his shirt. "Hey."
He rounded the edge of the bed and walked over, pausing at the door near Tilly, who was silent and staring at her feet.
"You haven't… told anyone, right?"
"No, sir, not a soul. But… it's not exactly a secret to everyone."
Link nodded. "Alright. Thank you for your honesty."
Tilly looked down at her shoes once more. Link edged around her, out the door, and going to his own rooms rather quickly. He hoped Zelda would come to see him soon enough, if he wanted to.
\
Zelda walked at a fast clip downstairs, full of energy and adrenaline. Finally! She would be able to pin something to that damned woman, something to put her in her place. They could even work out a deal or something. She had a small smile on her face as she made it to the record room, breezing past the record keeper and going right up to Priscia. Priscia jolted in surprise when she saw her, almost alarmed that something was wrong when the queen zoomed up to her.
"Your Majesty!" she managed to squeak out, quickly, moving back.
"Sorry. I was told you had some information for me?"
Priscia smiled. "Yes, Your Majesty. I do." She cleared her throat and showed her the marriage certificate. "Here's Vicereine D'Angrive's information."
"Yes, excellent. Thank you."
"Also, a note came with it—
"A note?"
"Yes, from the king of Termina."
Zelda frowned when Priscia handed over the scroll. "Thank you. Anything else?"
"Um…" Priscia glanced at the recordkeeper, then to the ground. "No, Your Majesty."
Zelda also looked at the recordkeeper, and sighed. "Priscia."
"Yes?"
"I will see about having you instated as the new recordkeeper shortly. I imagine you will also need an assistant, to get things in order."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you."
"It might not be anyone new. One of the guard perhaps, if you'd be willing."
"We all have to make sacrifices, Your Grace. Whatever help you're willing to give…"
"If you think of someone suitable, let me know?"
Priscia nodded her agreement.
"Thank you again," Zelda said quietly.
"You're welcome, Your Majesty."
Zelda left, and stopped at the accounting room, requesting them to look up the financial earnings for the major ranches in the last few years, specifically one with a particular last name. They nodded in agreement and went to task, while Zelda turned and headed back up to her rooms. She was worried about the note from the king of Termina, looking at the seal. She picked at the wax edges with her thumbnails, stopping dead when she saw that Link was nowhere to be found, and Tilly was sitting by the fire, mending some of Zelda's crocheted stockings.
"Whe…" Zelda forced herself to stop, swallowing hard and looking around. "Hello, Tilly."
"Good evening, Your Majesty," Tilly said, standing and bowing. Zelda nodded in response, glancing again at the pile of books that Tilly had neatly stacked and then ignored. "Master Link returned to his room. I'm sure he's waiting for you there."
Zelda glanced at Tilly, expecting some sort of blackmail attempt, but there was nothing. "Yes, thank you."
She went to her writing desk and cracked the wax seal on the letter, unfurling it.
To Her Royal Majesty Zelda,
I am most saddened to hear about your country's trouble, and the dreadful disagreement between you and Viceroy D'Angrive. I understand that Hyrule is struggling, and this has caused considerable distress that may have you unable to see reason. I am sure that the Viceroy meant no harm unto you and yours, nor insult, but only the brotherly concern that is representative of your neighbor country.
In short, please reconsider our position in the peace treaty. We would like to be a united front with your country more than anything. If necessary to ease your burden and cement this partnership for many generations, I can provide a list of eligible bach
Zelda growled a swear under her breath and ripped up the letter. Theo had been running his mouth and making her sound delusional and foolish, of that she was certain. She flung the paper into the fire, and Tilly glanced up at her questioningly, but said nothing.
"I think I will go see Master Link for some time," she said suddenly.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Zelda adjusted her dress and walked calmly out of her rooms, knocking sharply at Link's door. It took a few minutes, but he answered and raised his eyebrow slightly when he saw her.
"You alright?"
"Yes. Castle business to attend to."
'I figured."
She smiled. "May I come in?"
"Of course. You want a nightcap?"
"Only if there's enough to share."
"Yeah." He shut the door behind her, and Zelda sat down at the table. Link poured them each a small glass of scotch.
"You still have this?" she asked in surprise, looking at it.
"Well, yeah. I wasn't gonna throw it out."
"No, I mean… never mind." She shrugged and smiled at him. They didn't even toast, they just drank.
"We… never did… finish…"
"Technically, we didn't start," Link said quickly, drinking and avoiding her gaze.
"Hm." She rested her cheek on her hand, swirling the last smidge of alcohol around in her glass. "I just want to forget it all," she said quietly.
"What all?"
"The whole mess, from the second he… he showed up, until that moment when I know Hyrule is safe."
"Yeah."
She looked at him. "Link."
"Yeah?"
"You help," she whispered.
He set his glass down and rubbed his hands together, before clasping them together in his lap. "I'm glad," he answered.
She closed her eyes, the little troubled crease again between her brows. "Will you help me now?" she asked him, quickly.
Link took his time, thinking. He already knew the answer. "With whatever you need, yeah."
Zelda stood up and set her glass down firmly. "Come with me."
He stood and waited, watching. Zelda took his hand, and pulled him along.
They went to the bed, and Zelda sat down, stretching out her legs, and naturally he followed. Zelda rolled over to her side, propped up on the pillows, and Link turned towards her, putting one hand on her waist as they began to kiss once more. She overtook him slowly, pushing him down onto the pillows and climbing on top of him.
Link had his hands on her hips and he pulled her close, kissing her neck with urgency, pulling at the collar of her dress to get at her collarbone.
"Careful, don't rip it," she said quietly, undoing the sash around her waist.
"Sorry," he muttered, moving his hands down under the skirt of her dress and up, touching her thighs lightly on his way to her waist, finding the rough material of her corset and stopping.
"The hell is this?" he asked, pulling her dress up outright. Reflexively, Zelda put her hands down to try and stop him.
"It's my… my underthings."
"Were you wearing these last time?"
"I was in my nightgown last time," Zelda responded, folding her arms.
"… can I…" He tried pulling at her dress again, and she sighed and lifted it off, dropping it to the floor and sitting there in her underdress and corset. "… Hm." He tapped on the hard bone plate sewn into the front of the corset. "That looks awful. Does it hurt?"
"You get used to it." She looked at him in surprise. "Did… she didn't wear all this stuff?"
"A little waist thingy, yeah, but not a whole… up here kinda thing." He touched at the top of her corset, just above her breastline. "It's like you're encased or something."
"Oh." She wriggled a little bit, reaching around to her back to unlace it, but he stopped her.
"I want to do it," he said quietly. Zelda nodded and held still, waiting as his hands fumbled at the laces, trying to figure out the knots. He closed his eyes and concentrated as he worked, and soon the corset was undone, Zelda still clutching it against her body.
"Can I see you?" he asked her, his hands going to the edges of the corset. Zelda nodded and let go, and he pulled the undergarment away and set it down on the bed next to them before looking back at her, the underdress barely a gauzy film over her bared skin.
He kissed her breasts through the material, and Zelda sighed and wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on top of his head.
"Am I alright?" she asked him, stroking his hair, her breath hitching when he put his mouth around one tight point.
"You're asking me?" he muttered, trying to look up at her.
"I mean… do I look okay? I don't…" She wasn't sure what she meant. She couldn't find the words.
Link sighed and pulled his head back to look her in the face. "You're the most beautiful woman I know," he said, touching her cheek.
Zelda smiled. He was so easy to believe; it was possible he even meant it. Link dipped his head and kissed her breasts again, then he turned them over, laying her out on the bed and kissing her on the mouth, before lifting her dress to her waist and scooting down.
"What are you doing?" Zelda asked, propping herself up on her elbows to watch him. It didn't take her long to figure it out.
\
Zelda woke up early in the morning, feeling warm and rested. Link was pressed up against her from behind, his arm over her waist and his nose in her hair, and he was snoring slightly. She was comfortable in his arms, and as she always did when she was near him, she felt safe. He was the one person she trusted more than anyone else.
A sudden thought woke her up sharply, beyond the sort of sleepy haze of deep rest.
Why didn't she just ask Link to marry her?
It was so simple. People would get off her back about their widowed friend or some boorish relative, they were already well-acquainted (twice last night for both, in fact), they trusted each other, he'd already helped her with so much.
How could she have been so foolish as to not think of it weeks ago?
"Link," she whispered, rolling over to look at him. Link grumbled and clung to her, burying his face in her neck. "Link, wake up."
"Hm."
"Link, do you want to marry me?"
There was silence for a while.
"Wha?"
"I said, do you… do you want to marry me?"
He pulled back and looked at her, confused. "Am I that good?"
Zelda laughed and kissed him. "Well, think about it. We're good friends, I trust you more than anyone else, and your incredible cleverness and selflessness to the country is helping to save it. You're perfect. And… then, maybe, we could… make love, in the most complete way."
He stared at her. "Me?"
"Of course you." She kissed him again. "Will you?"
He thought about it, then smiled real slow, and kissed her back. "Sure."
Zelda laughed again and pressed up against him, reaching down to guide his hand—
"But—
She let go of him and her eyes snapped up to his face. He squirmed a little under her gaze. "We should wait until the baby's born."
This was, actually, excellent advice.
"Yes. If it's yours, then it would be the next ruler of Hyrule until we have our own children." She bit her lower lip and cursed.
"Do you want kids?" he asked, rubbing her side.
"Yes, eventually. We need to at least have one."
"Mm." He nodded. "If it's mine, will you still want to marry me?"
She looked at him, considering. "Of course."
He kissed her, and Zelda sighed, closing her eyes again. "I should get cleaned up. I need to write some very important letters today."
"Lots to do?"
"Every day," she muttered, irritated.
Link kissed her forehead, he couldn't get enough of her now, and smiled at her. "You'll do fine."
She smiled back. Really, why hadn't she thought of this elegant solution before?
"It won't be for a while, though, so we should still… keep it under wraps."
"Of course."
Zelda left the bed and found her underdress, pulling it on, and then her heavy formal dress over it. The corset would have to wait. Hopefully, Tilly would still be asleep… but then, she would need a bath drawn…
She swore a little, her mind running circles. Then she turned. "Link?"
He sat up and looked at her, scratching idly at the scar on his arm. The skin around it was always a little dry and flaky now. "Yeah?"
"I want to clean up, but… Tilly won't be awake yet. Could you…"
He sighed. "Sure, let me get dressed."
"I'm sorry to be a bother."
He shook his head in response with a smile. "I suppose I should get used to you tellin' me what to do now, huh?" He climbed out of bed and searched for his underthings, gave up, and pulled on his breeches, tying them extra tight. "While I do that, uh… will probably need new sheets on the bed…"
"If you strip them off and wad them outside the door, someone will take them away for washing."
"Oh. Okay." He shrugged on his shirt, not bothering to tuck it in, and Zelda walked over to him, putting a hand to his chest and kissing him deeply. Link put his hands up to her face, and all their little moments of last night came back; just the moments of holding each other and kissing, the elegant way Zelda had of doing every little thing, even wiping her mouth on the bed sheet, patting at her lips.
"You should probably clean up too," she whispered.
"I could join you."
She smiled. "Alright. I'd like that."
\
They were soaking in the tub for a little while, Zelda on one side and Link on the other, eyes closed, when Link woke up.
"What did you…"
"Hm?" Zelda opened one eye and looked at him before yawning, then giving him a smile. "What is it?"
"You wanted Verla's last name? Why's that?"
Zelda thought for a few minutes, having to collect herself. "Oh. Oh, I wanted the accountants to look up her information, to send her a formal bill for the evaded taxes. I'll give her one chance to pay them and then charge her with evasion."
"But, she's pregnant."
Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Pregnancy is not a magic talisman. She still broke the law. She will probably pay it or fight it. Hire an impressive lawyer who will come storming in here in a huff, shouting about… statute of limitations and renounced citizenry and…" Zelda sank a little deeper in the water, her feet in Link's armpit. "If she'd paid it, we'd be a lot better off."
Oh, but—
"Oh. But… would you be willing to testify to the ranch's earnings?"
"No."
His response was so swift that Zelda didn't think he understood what she was asking. "You're not willing to tell the judge how much you know the ranch was worth?"
"No." He shrugged. "I'm not going to get involved in this. It's a court matter, and I'm not part of the court yet. And, I'm… uh… involved with the… accused, or was, so I wouldn't be a neutral party—
"That's only for the jury," she informed him, her head resting on one hand.
Link shrugged, and looked up at the ceiling. "The point is, I'm sick of being part of your fight with her, even though I know I'm mostly the cause for it. This has nothing to do with me. It's between you and her and her estate."
Zelda looked at him for a few minutes, then she grabbed a towel from the floor and stood, wrapping up in it.
"Oh, come on," Link sighed, reaching for her.
"No, you have a point. I am using you as a pawn in a lot of this, and it's unfair to you. If you're not willing to speak out against her in court, then I have to accept that and find someone else. Is there anyone else who worked there that might know?"
Link didn't have to think long. "Rik. He lives in Roldin now, but I can get you his information later."
"Thank you," she said softly, then stepped out of the tub. And to show him she wasn't mad, she leaned over him and kissed him deeply, touching his chest.
"I think he used to fool around with her too, though, so…"
Zelda shook her head. "We'll see what he says, I suppose."
"Well, good luck, then," he responded. They kissed a few more times, then finally she turned away with a little wave and dressed, heading back to her rooms via the secret tunnel.
Tilly was still asleep, which Zelda was glad for, and she changed quickly into her pajamas, so that walking around without a corset wouldn't be unusual. She folded up her dirty nightclothes and left them in a pile at the foot of the bed, going into the next room and sitting down to write a letter to Theo about his wife's owed taxes.