Ugh, finally another chapter! This chapter and the next will pretty much be filler, although the story will begin to move with the chapter following that. So, hurrah!
Also, summer has begun for me, and so I will have more time to write and update! Also, TechyZeldaNerd, I just wanted to let you know (seeing as I haven't done so recently :P) I appreciate the continued reviews on the story! It's like a nice little confidence boost whenever you review it! Thanks!
And in other summer news, my dad, my friend, and I went to Sonic on May 23rd for National End of School Day and bought 30 corndogs because they were only fifty cents. It was a good night.
Read, Review, and Enjoy!
After they'd put Epona within the stables, and after Link had convinced Zelda that Epona would be fine, the two headed up to Zelda's room where they chatted and waited for Zelda's parents to come and teach them to dance. The king and queen eventually came, and the two taught Zelda and Link how to dance gracefully in a basic fashion. The mini-lesson was rather chaotic, Zelda and Link stepping on each other's feet and losing their pace and becoming confused the whole time. After a while they just gave up and began to mock the dances and the types of people who were to be at such an event, much to the king and queen's disapproval. Eventually, Zelda and Link got into the swing of things once more and finally began to understand the dance.
Later on, the king and queen left, and Zelda and Link were fetched by separate maids and were freshened up for the so called 'ball' which was to be in a relatively short time. Zelda's make-up was redone, her dress refitted and tightened accordingly, while Link got the easy treatment. He simply was sprayed with cologne, had his hair fixed, and was sent on his way.
Zelda and Link met later on once it was dark in the main hall of the castle. Guests had begun arriving, haughty people of nobility and ill-fitting clothes entering through the castle doors. The two walked together and watched from a distance as the guests made their way into the dining hall.
"Look at that one," Zelda said, pointing to a large woman in a frilly pink dress, "she looks as though she's about ready to bust the seam on that one!"
"Zelda!" Link whisper-shouted. "You're being rude!"
"What?! I'm not necessarily picking on the people themselves, but more-so their attire. Hell, I'm picking more on their clothing than anything! I don't understand how these people can tolerate these clothes -including my own dress."
Link formed a half frown and looked about the room. He saw and knew what Zelda was talking about, the ridiculous and uncomfortable way these people dressed. But still, no reason to make fun of them, right?
"Well, at least I'm not- Dear Hylia!" Zelda exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked to the front door. "Look at him!"
Zelda had pointed to a particularly stuffy looking man who wore a puffy purple and green stripped long-sleeve shirt, a purple hat with a red feather, and green tights. Said man also had a cane which he haughtily walked around with as he seemed to scrutinize the castle.
"Oh Hylia," Link said, suddenly becoming awestruck by the uptight fellow. "Now that one you can make fun of. I mean just look at his- oh, wait, just look at him."
Link and Zelda shared a few more laughs about the man as they stood by the foot of one of the staircases in the main hall, having quite a merry time as they joked. This moment was interrupted by a sudden thud behind them.
The two turned, startled by the sound, to find Ilda, the king and queen's Sheikah servant, now standing up behind them, her gangly arms crossed as usual.
"Hello Princess," she said, nodding her head, "and Link."
"Ilda," Zelda said, giving a slight smile, "I uh, hello."
"I overheard that you two were mocking the attire of the men and women whom are present tonight?" Ilda asked, raising a brow. Zelda cheerily grinned and gave a slight giggle.
"Heh heh, well, eh, you see, mocking is a harsh word and-"
"No need to explain yourself," Ilda said, shaking her head. "I agree with the fact that these people's clothes are beyond ridiculous. Now though, I need both of you to take a break from your mockery and head to the dining room and be seated. You will sit with the king and queen, and their table will be towards the stage of the room, closer to where you stood this morning. You will see them."
Zelda and Link turned to look to the entrance to the dining hall, and saw people cramming in.
"But Ilda won't you-" Zelda stopped mid-sentence as she turned around, only to find no one there. She and Link looked around, wondering where Ilda may have gone, but neither had a clue. Shrugging, both Zelda and Link walked together to the dining room.
When they entered, they found that the entire hall was nearly full, with several people of nobility sitting at each table. Servants scrambled around and seated these people and assured that they were comfortable. They recognized a few of the people, finding that those that they recognized were ones which they had more fun insulting. They even saw the haughty man in the striped shirt from before.
The two finally came to their senses and walked to the back end of the room where they saw the king and queen on stage, preparing to announce to those who were present that their daughter had returned. The queen saw the two and smiled at them from up on stage and motioned to fancy table in front of the stage at which they were to sit. There were four chairs there, two for the Royals and two for Link and Zelda.
"This is where we'll sit," she informed them as she crouched down on her knees, "but Zelda I need you to come up on the stage. We'll present you to them, and you know your cue correct? It is practically the same as before, though it may be slightly modified."
"Do I need to say anything?" Zelda asked. Her mother shook her head.
"No. Nothing much, anyway. Simple as before, bow, curtsey, say a little hello and smile for the crowd, alright?" Zelda smiled and nodded. The queen turned to Link. "I'm sorry, Link, but you'll stay at the table for this one. We'll recognize you, of course, but you will need only to stand once we announce you, alright?"
"Yes ma'am," Link said. The queen smiled to the two.
"Well, good!" she exclaimed. "We're about to begin, so Link take a seat, and Zelda, stand at the stairs of the stage."
"Alright," Zelda said with a nod.
The queen nodded both of them goodbye and went back on stage and spoke with her husband shortly. Meanwhile, Zelda and Link parted, silently saying their goodbyes, and Link took a seat at the table.
As he sat, the king and queen took their places upon the stage and the few servants who had been up there with them exited. The two stood tall and boldly at the front of the stage.
"Hello and welcome, my friends!" the king boomed, opening his arms wide as he smiled. The guests quieted down and everyone seemed to look towards him. "As you know, I have invited you all here today to this hastily pieced together gala for a very important reason, and am glad to see that so many of you found the time to arrive here. I am very gracious for all of your attendance," he said with a bow.
Now the queen stepped forward.
"Friends and noblemen," she called, "as you know, the dear Country of Hylia had been in chaos and thrown into a civil war years ago, brought on by the hands of evil." The queen dramatically paused and clenched her fist to accentuate the point. Continuing, she said, "And in that time, our daughter was lost; the only heir of Hyland had been nowhere to be found, and thus a dilemma came upon us; that of who would take the throne."
At this, Link furrowed his brows. 'Who would take the throne?' What kind of question is that?
"But now," the king continued, smiling warm-heartedly, "now this is not the case!"
"Our daughter," the queen said, "The heiress of Hyland, the child of Hylia, our daughter, has finally been reunited with us!" Turning, the queen raised her arm and motioned over to Zelda who stood at the foot of the stairs to the stage. "Our Princess Zelda has returned!"
As Zelda stepped upon stage, the numerous guests clapped, very few cheering, and applauded the newly proclaimed princess. She smiled and took the center stage, standing between her mother and father, then gave a curtsey and a bow. When she stood, she looked out to the people.
"Hello," she greeted, smiling again, "I cannot tell you how overjoyed and how happy I am to be back at home," she stated. "Though getting here was not an easy task, I did have some help along the way; an old friend of mine, a childhood friend, stood by my side and brought me home. He is Link of Ordon, a new Knight of the Hylian Guard, and now he shall stand!"
Zelda looked down to Link and smirked, motioning for him to arise. Link smiled and stood up, and looking out into the crowds, he gave a little wave and a nod as the people applauded. He soon took his seat after and looked back up to Zelda and her parents. As he watched them continue their speeches, not really paying attention to what they were saying, he noticed just how much the queen and Zelda looked alike. Both had long and dark tresses, Zelda's being only the slightest shade lighter, and the queen being slightly taller and more aged. Not that she appeared old, but still there was a considerable age difference between the two.
"...and so, without further ado, we may begin to celebrate!" the king announced, snapping Link out of his thoughts. The king, queen, and Zelda bowed from their place on stage and applause was once again heard. The applause was still nothing like the cheering and sincere joy as was present in the Castle Town celebration, but either way, Link did not truly care.
Dinner commenced and the Royals joined Link at the table. Food was served and classical music was played. The king, queen, Zelda, and Link all had a merry time sitting and chatting and eating, and they all found it nice to just chat and really get to know each other for once.
Once dinner ended, all of the guests headed out to the main hall where they all met and greeted one another. Many people came to meet the newly crowned Princess and her knight. Most of the people were haughty and uptight, going so far as to sneer at the two once Link and Zelda had answered their questions of where they were from and where they were brought up. Link was able to calmly disregard their looks of disdain, and Zelda was too, though it took her a little more to do so. One man, the man whom the two recognized by the striped shirt and green tights, gave them such scornful looks that Zelda put on an act of sweet and simple courtesy. Link even managed to play along.
"And, these accommodations," the man said, referring to Ordon, "were they not rather... unruly?"
"Yes sir," Zelda said, bowing her head solemnly. Looking up with wide eyes and a pouted frown, she said, "It was but a sad life out within that dirty, rotten village. I do not see how I had survived all of those years living with those...those... peasants!" she exclaimed. "Oh!" Zelda cried, "I feel faint!"
Zelda fell in a melodramatic manner, her hand raised to her forehead, with Link catching her in his arms. Shaking his head sadly, Link continued the act for her.
"Oh, it was a weary life," Link claimed, looking up to the man, "what with actual work to do. The life which the two of us have given up pales in comparison to this life of luxury, one which we have only beheld for a short time."
The man nodded and passed a look to the king and queen.
"These, eh, children," he hissed through his teeth, "have lived a poor life in a poor part of the country. I do hope that you will do your best to teach them the requirements of Royalty," he said.
The queen forced a smile and nodded. "Oh yes, Sir Dudley." she said. "We will ensure the best for the both of them."
Zelda's eyes immediately shot open. She looked up to Link whose eyes were equally wide for the same reason. Then, she peered over to Sir Dudley, her hand still draped upon her forehead. By Hylia, that is the absolute most ridiculous name I've ever heard! She had to hold it in. She was not going to give into laughter. Not yet.
The man nodded to the king and queen.
"I bid goodnight to you then," Sir Dudley said, beginning to leave. Once he was gone, his haughty figure lost in the crowds of several others, Zelda and Link lost it. Zelda laughed in Link's arms as he helped to stand her up, laughing as he did so. The queen shook her head and placed a hand over her face to show her disapproval of the situation. Meanwhile, the king bit his lip and smirked at the two children.
"H-hi-his name is Sir Dudley?!" Zelda managed to sputter out in her fit of laughter. "Wh-what kind of name is that?!"
"Never, never mind that," Link exclaimed, wiping a stray tear from his eye, "his outfit and demeanor all play into his snobbish attitude!"
"Oh, look at me, I'm Sir Dudley of the Huffy-Huffingtons!" Zelda said as she walked around with a swagger, mimicking Sir Dudley's. Link laughed even more, and Zelda broke into laughter again as well. The queen was about to say something when she heard another person's laugher; that of her husband.
"Daphnes!" she exclaimed, looking to him with a shocked and angered expression. He simply grinned and laughed even more.
"What?" he asked as he smiled. "Zelda's impersonation of him is spot on!"
To this, Zelda looked up, smiled, and bowed.
"Why thank you father!" she said. The queen just shook her head.
"You of all people should know that it is disrespectful to mock someone of high standing class," the queen said.
"Oh, no one likes that man anyway." her husband replied. The queen rolled her eyes.
"Well, whatever. Zelda, Link, we're done with the introductions for the night; why don't you two go and dance?" she suggested, so as to get them all off of the subject of Sir Dudley.
"But mother," Zelda said in a sweet, pleading tone, "I am enjoying these introductions; the first bit of Royalty that I have thoroughly enjoyed!" Zelda paused and nodded her head to the side, a smirk present on her face. "If you wish for me, your precious little daughter to be happy, you'll let her do as she pleases right? Right mother?" Zelda batted her lashes.
The queen frowned.
"No."
Zelda then gave up the act and huffed. "Fine. You win. Come on Link, let's go dance to appease my mother." Zelda grabbed Link's wrist and the two walked off into the crowds and to the classical music which played.
"Zelda's more trouble than she's worth," the queen said sarcastically once the two were gone.
"Oh, she was only having a bit of fun, Dissa!" the king said with a wave of the hand. "Nothing to fret over. And I know that for a fact you hate that man, and for all the same-"
"Oh, shut up Daphnes." the queen said, crossing her arms and pouting. Under her breath she added, "It's not my fault that man's an intolerable prick..."
The king heartily laughed, hearing her comment, and wrapped an arm around her. The queen smiled slightly at his embrace.
Then, the queen smirked and softly said, "You're one too, but I made the choice to keep you. Be thankful for that."