Hello all, I don't usually interrupt before the chapter but there is a bug on the site which means it is not always sending out the new chapter alerts. I've had this occur a few times in stories I've been reading, and I haven't received the author carbon-copy email for a couple of chapters now (6 & 12). They may still be going out to you all but I thought I'd bring it up just in case. I've reported the issue with no response yet, but let me know if you've ever had the same experience.

Please check you have read the previous chapter first (and other chapters in case you've missed them).

Secondly; this chapter is the lemon. Including it in the story got the most votes but a fair number, but I decided to structure it in a way that you can skip this chapter if you like and not miss anything critical to the plot. Because of this, the chapter isn't going to be very long.

Let me know what you think, and if you don't want to read this chapter for any reason at all, I will see you in the next chapter!

—

The final spring went over much more smoothly than the others; the weather was perfect and Zelda had been pleased with her prayer. They camped for the night in the open fields, enjoying the emptiness around them.

The grass was spongey, unlike the hard floors they'd been sleeping on before, both staring up at the stars. Link felt comfortable enough that they were far away from paths, laying out one of the sleeping bags for them to lie on together as the other lay over the top of them. Somehow he just knew that was what the princess wanted; most likely because that was what he'd wanted too.

''Link, I've been meaning to ask you something,'' she said and Link turned onto his side, leaning on his arm to look at her so she knew he was taking her seriously. ''Do you think this will work?''

''What, Princess?'' he asked and Zelda turned her head just enough to look into his eyes.

''Us.''

Link had to think about his words carefully; he didn't want it to be misunderstood. ''I think it's possible. I would like it to but I know that things don't always happen the way we'd like them to.''

Zelda looked back at the stars, her eyes almost searching for answers. ''Then, I suppose the next thing might be a bit more confronting.''

Link frowned as he waited for her to elaborate. She was certainly taking her time about it. She couldn't even look him in the eye as she found words, biting her lip anxiously before she spoke. ''I don't think we'd get the privacy we want in the castle. I know what it's like to live there and you're never truly alone. I couldn't take a bath without someone knocking on the door to check if everything was alright.''

Link felt a little guilty; he knew most of the time it was probably him that wasn't giving her enough space. That said, he was usually more lenient when she'd been in the castle; it was much harder for intruders to get in to hurt her there without raising an alarm and others suited her needs much better than he did. Since the calamity, however, he'd been around her almost constantly. ''I'm sorry. I can stop-''

''Not you,'' she said as she turned to look at him. ''Well, yes you but that's not what I meant. I don't need you hovering over me quite so much but that's not my point.''

Link was confused. He wasn't sure what her point was if she wasn't asking him to give her space. She surely wasn't telling him so he'd pass it onto the staff; she knew she could just tell them herself. ''Then what is it?''

Zelda had a blush on her cheeks, staring at the stars as she tried to contain herself. She just felt awkward even saying it. Why did he have to be so thick sometimes? ''I don't want to be interrupted the first time we…''

Link immediately got what she meant. ''Oh.''

''Yeah,'' she said as she turned to look at his facial expression. ''People will even just hear noise in the night and assume I'm up because I need something. So I want to be away from the castle. Somewhere we don't have to worry about that.''

Link understood her point; it was going be particularly awkward if the person didn't knock first and walked in. There were so many questions running through his head but it all came down to what she wanted. ''Did you have something in mind?''

Zelda sat up and kissed him, holding his face as she hoped it'd make her point clear. They were alone, it was comfortable, and the night couldn't have been more perfect. There wasn't a breath of wind and it was the right temperature to have just the sleeping bag draped over them without it getting to hot or cold. It was also somewhat romantic under the starlit night; what more could she ask for in a setting for what was meant to be one of the most memorable moments in her life?

Link broke away from her, looking into her eyes. ''We are thoroughly unprepared.''

''How so?'' Zelda asked and Link could think of a million reasons if just one of them would turn into a coherent sentence.

''What if you get pregnant?'' he asked, going for the most important question first.

Zelda took a second. ''I still feel confused but I believe I want you to be the one beside me for the rest of my life.''

Link still felt nervous. ''Are you ready to be a mother?''

''If that is what the goddess wants for me, then I'll deal with it. No, I'm not ready but I'm not ready to be queen either and I'm dealing with that, doing what I can so I will be,'' she replied. ''I don't want to get pregnant either but when are we next going to get this opportunity?''

''I think you're being really stupid if I'm honest with you, Princess,'' Link said and Zelda didn't argue.

''I agree. I am being an absolute moron but surely there's something we can do. How were you prepared for the others?'' Zelda asked and Link sighed.

''We had the right elixirs, the right things to protect us.''

''What do you need for the elixir?'' Zelda asked and Link sat up.

''Uh, there's a certain type of plant. The usual things to mix with it. I don't have any of it. And it's still not a hundred percent. It's significantly less but it could still happen,'' Link said and Zelda picked up the Sheikah slate.

''Are they located anywhere near here?'' she asked and Link had to think about it. He fiddled with the slate, finding the items he needed to locate. ''Are they close?''

''I don't want to leave you alone,'' Link said, which confirmed her suspicions. She remembered something vaguely that her father had complained about when harvests were low in Akkala one year and it had propagated into larger problems throughout Hyrule. That was over a hundred years ago, so there was always a chance she had it wrong or things had changed.

''It's an empty field. If I scream, you'll hear me. If something gets close, I'll jump on my horse and ride to the nearest stable,'' she said and Link still hesitated.

He looked into her eyes. ''Are you sure this is what you want?''

Zelda nodded and he got up, starting up the sensor. He found what looked to be a farm not too far away, pulling his hood over his head as he got closer. ''You better not be stealing my crops, young man,'' a voice croaked from a window, catching Link's attention. ''If you want something, come over here and buy it. Less time and effort, more effective because we've done it right. Come on. Come here.''

He didn't want to lift his head; he knew he was recognisable and it would make its way back to the princess somehow. ''Sorry,'' he said, keeping his voice low in an attempt to mask it, though he was almost certain it wasn't working.

''Three hundred rupees.''

Link was sure it shouldn't have been that expensive. ''What?''

The elderly woman pulled out a few things. ''One of everything. I've met boys like you before, still embarrassed to ask. You're probably just going to show it to your friends and giggle over it. So get one of everything and use what you want or don't, I don't care.''

He handed over the money, thanking her quietly as he walked back. He examined the bottles, reading each of the labels by the dim light. Make and female elixirs for both protection and fertility, and a few remedies for common sexually transmitted illnesses. She'd really given him everything and it should have been much more expensive.

He got back and Zelda was reading her notebook under the light of a few fireflies she'd trapped in a jar. ''I found a farmer who sells it all.''

Zelda looked more nervous as she sat up. This is was becoming very real all of a sudden. ''Did she recognise you?''

''I hope not. I think she thought I'm a fourteen-year-old on a dare or something,'' Link replied as he sat down beside her. He was short, even for a Hylian, so he supposed that helped in the matter. He was sure if the woman had seen his hair or face he would have been figured out very quickly.

He could feel his heart beginning to race because of his nerves, his palms getting warm and sweaty. If he didn't know better, he'd think it was his first time all over again.

Zelda held up the jar so she could read the labels. ''So it's just take this?''

Link didn't consider himself an expert on the area but it seemed like it when the princess had heard only the very minimum. She knew what contraception was at a high level and that it greatly lowered the risks but did she know how it worked, what the side effects were or that there was always still a chance it could go wrong? It would change their entire lives if it did.

''More or less. But it's still not a guarantee.''

''What's the percentage?'' she asked and Link had to think. He didn't know the exact number off of the top of his head.

He had hoped it would say it on the bottles. ''Something very high. Very, very unlikely but still possible.''

Zelda checked the vial again, passing him the other one. ''Should we both take one?''

''We don't have to but it's probably a good idea,'' Link said and Zelda nodded. ''Are you sure this is what you want?''

Zelda seemed to hesitate. ''This isn't what I pictured but I'd rather do this now than back at the castle. I know what it's going to be like once we're back there. That will be much worse than our awkwardness now.''

She was always stubborn; he wasn't surprised by that. He did hope she'd reconsider for her own sake but it seemed that wasn't going to happen. It wasn't as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind before — he'd had dreams of her in the moonlight, where they were all alone — but there were different pressures when it came to reality.

Neither one knew how to make the first move. Zelda held the bottle between her fingers, anxiously trying to work out what to do. This was the perfect moment despite all the awkwardness and anxiety. If they didn't do it then, she wasn't sure when they'd next get the opportunity to truly be alone and somewhere comfortable.

She opened the bottle, hesitating as she took a sip from it. For some reason, she'd expected it to taste like something other than medicine. It certainly wasn't pleasant but she wasn't going to be sick like some of the others she'd had. She tipped her head back so she could get it all down at once, feeling it run down her throat and into her stomach.

Link did the same, aware that there was no going back now. If she'd committed this far, then she wasn't going to reconsider. She kissed him as he put the bottle down, trying to quiet all of her thoughts. She didn't even know where to start but kissing seemed to be as good a place as any.

He kissed her back. He needed to get out of his head or they'd never get anywhere. There were so many nerves that it was hard to get aroused, no matter how much he wanted to. He was still too worried about touching her, scared to hold her in the way he should have been.

She pulled at her own clothes, pulling them away. ''Don't be scared,'' she said, though she knew she was just as guilty. She should have known by now that he was never going to lead without hesitation; there was too much at stake if he got it wrong. ''I need you to guide me through this. I don't know what I'm doing.''

He took a deep breath, putting his hands on her bare waist. He could feel goosebumps, though he was certain they were likely to be nerves instead of the temperature. He kissed her again as he tried to think about how he'd wished for this but his head kept coming back to any reason not to that it could find.

She began to pull at his clothes, removing all but his underwear so they were the same. She looked too nervous to pull off the rest, Link trying to work out what he was going to do next. There was only one real way forward.

''Please stop me if you want to, Princess. Anytime,'' he insisted and Zelda nodded. She knew she could trust him; he'd never try to hurt her on purpose.

He reached around her and undid her bra, letting it fall away. Even though he'd gotten a glimpse only a few days before, there was something different when he was allowed to see her. He could take it in, admiring the beautiful woman that she was and even how her curves looked perfect to him. The little imperfections only enhanced her, proving that she was not only gorgeous but real, not some painting or other art work.

He kissed her skin near her collarbone. He could tell she hadn't expected the sensation, holding onto him as she watched him carefully. He curled his hand around her back to bring her closer, trying to figure out whether she was preferring he take it slow or if he should let the passion take hold and stop holding back.

He knew she'd need as much arousal as she could get; he'd never been with another virgin but he'd heard enough. He was thankful the others had been able to lead him through it all but it left him lost as he tried to work out how to help the princess in front of him.

He bit the inside of his lips, holding back his nervous expression as he pulled down her underwear. He rested his hand between her legs, going back to kissing her lips so she'd be assured it was alright. She was holding onto him so tightly he was sure there were going to be marks, feeling like she was simultaneously pushing him away and pulling him close in an internal tug-of-war.

He laid her back as he got on top of her, kissing her as he just let his fingers move around, stroking the inside of her legs in an attempt to make her comfortable with their presence. She let out a timid moan and he felt some sort of relief; at least he wasn't giving her the opposite reaction.

Her hands dropped down to his underwear, pulling them away. He was anxious to know how she'd react, not that she could see anything under the covers. Her hands were somewhat warm as the touched him, shaking slightly. His body twitched as she moved her hand over him. She pulled back, nervous she'd done something wrong.

''No, it's okay,'' he said under his breath, leaning in to kiss her neck again. She touched him as lightly as she could, feeling his body get harder each time she moved. She still felt nervous and unsure.

''Am I doing the right thing?'' she asked and he nodded, his breath starting to get ragged and hot. He could feel her trying to work out what to do, his head getting clouded as he wanted to just take her in that second. He took a deep breath and wrapped his hand around hers, helping it move. If he needed something to take his nerves away, her hand wrapped around him and moving.

He kissed her with even more vigour, his hand moving down between her legs again. He was still gentle but wasn't holding back, feeling her hand stop and just grip while he let his fingers slip inside of her.

She moaned and squirmed under his touch. ''Just hurry up,'' she groaned and he took his hand away.

''We can't take this back, Princess,'' he said and he felt her just grip him tighter.

Zelda groaned as he brushed his hand over her chest, moving it to support himself. ''My name is Zelda, and I really shouldn't have to beg.''

He guessed he was better to get the first move over quickly, particularly seeing as she was telling him to go faster to get it over with. It turned out to be the wrong decision as she squealed in pain, her legs getting in between them as she pushed him off and out. She was taking several deep breaths as she held her lower stomach, trying to work out what had just happened. It felt like he was tearing into her, stretching her beyond what she could handle and stabbing into her lower belly like a knife as he hit it with speed and pressure.

''Are you okay?'' he asked as he got closer to her again, putting a hand on her leg. ''I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.''

''Is it meant to hurt like that?'' she asked, still trying to process what had just happened.

Link shook his head. ''No. I mean, I don't know but I don't think so. I know it's worse the first time but not that much.''

Zelda looked scared to start again. ''Can we go slower? Be more gentle?''

Link nodded, though he could already feel the lack of arousal he'd had just moments ago. It was still under the surface but concern had taken over. ''If it still hurts-''

''I will tell you to get off of me, I assure you. I am not putting up with anything that hurts like that,'' she said as she opened her legs again, inviting him back into her arms. ''Gentle.''

''I'll do my best,'' he assured her. He was much slower, which made her uncomfortable but it didn't hurt nearly as much. He got all the way in and stopped. ''Better?''

''Much,'' she said as she tried to move a bit to get more comfortable. ''Does it get better as we go?''

''That's what I've heard. Something about stretching for the first time makes it worse,'' he explained. That made sense and helped her feel better about the situation, relaxing a little bit. That helped too as Link moved again. Each time felt a bit better as he kissed her and touched her to keep her aroused through the process.

He knew they were getting somewhere when she finally let out a moan again. He kissed her shoulder as he rested his head on the ground, trying to build some sort of rhythm now he wasn't quite as worried. He was still cautious, using his hands to lift his hips back so he wouldn't dig in too far.

She groaned and moved beneath him as he felt the familiar pulsing sensation. He was glad for it, particularly as he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out for. She was just so beautiful and he finally had her to himself; he was surprised he didn't lose control within the first minute.

The sound she let out as he dug into her for the final few times was like music to his ears. She was shaking as her fingers dug into his back, the feeling of flickering flames running overtop. They both stayed still, Link holding his weight as he tried not to collapse on her. His forehead rested on hers as he felt her chest expand to touch his with each breath.

''Okay, if that is what it's meant to be like, then that's okay,'' Zelda said as she felt Link laugh. ''I hope that first bit gets easier.''

''It does,'' he replied as he moved over so he could relax his arms. ''Each time it should get easier. Depending on how long between is how much your body will return to how it was but eventually it'll just get used to it for a long time, I think.''

Zelda nodded. ''I can deal with that,'' she said as she looked at him. He was still catching his breath as he had a smile on his face; not obnoxious but still visible in the moonlight. ''Thank you.''

He sat up, reaching around for his clothes. ''In case someone does happen to come past, at least some clothes are a good idea.''

Zelda nodded, though it didn't rid her of her disappointment. She got dressed again and curled up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. ''Is this okay?''

''As long as you don't mind I push you off in case of someone getting too close,'' Link replied. She nodded and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep relatively quickly. The night had been both physically and emotionally draining, Link falling into a deep sleep for the first time since they'd left his home. He held her tight, aware this was possibly one of the last nights he'd be able to spend with her alone for a very long time.