Inspiration: Reflections, introspection, differing vantage points, WTF moments (this one seems out of place... or does it lol?), The skeleton in The Bottom of the Well from OoT where it talked about Hyrule's bloody history, Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (the blood countess of Transilvania, there is a small reference in one of the sections), The Girl with the Green Hair (another small reference, if you don't know that's okay, for those who do please don't give it away),and filler chapters (lol, I know, sorry, but that's what this one is essentially).
Shout Out: m51293, Juta, Guess, Unknown, and The Opinionist, thanks for reviewing new readers.
Author's Note: Remember how I said I would get some material out before the end of the year lol... well here it is. However, this is not the end of the ball, but it is considerably shorter than what I was working on together. I wanted the whole section done before the year was out, but that would short change a great deal, and I won't short change this story for the sake of time constraints lol. Thanks for reading. ~ZR~.
Specialty Notice: I think there was a problem with the website because the chapter wasn't showing earlier. Please let me know if this chapter gives you any problems.
Reedit 2/22/2014
Word Count: 9,044
Chapter 29
Aristocrat's Ball: Act V
A Few Moments Earlier: Link's POV
I paused for a moment before I continued my advance towards Shad. When he and Morgana separated from what seemed like a heated argument, I followed after him. I was still puzzled as to why he was here without letting me, Ashei, or Bastion know of his invitation. I wasn't aware of his family's lineage, and to be honest, it didn't matter to me, but did he think the three of us wouldn't take note of his presence here? Was he here for reasons other than those of his bloodline? Had her majesty asked for him to be here for a specific service? Why was he going out of his way to speak to Lady Morgana, and why was she so irritated with his presence? Better yet, how in the world did he know her, and what had gone on between the two of them? There was only one way for me to find out the answers to my inquiries.
I need to make sure he isn't planning something foolish, I thought, as I walked after him, he's already proven he can be a little bit of a loose cannon when he wants to be.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one taking notice of the scholar's actions, Bastion too was starting to follow after him. I was pleased in seeing that. I had a feeling if it was just me trying to speak to Shad, he would clam up given his penchant for secrecy. He had a longer better standing relationship with Bastion since he worked exclusively with the young warrior and Ashei in the past. Speaking of Ashei, I saw that she was going to follow suit and confront Shad also, but then decided against it, when she didn't want to bring any undue attention towards the four of us and appear suspicious. She just acknowledged that she saw Bastion and I with a subtle nod, and stayed put in amongst the other single ladies of the court.
It was all for the best.
In the mean time, Shad was heading towards the outer perimeter of the hall where he was going to stand alone. I quickly went to pursue him, but then slowed my advance when I realized I was drawing attention to myself. Zelda's actions were still fresh on everyone's minds, and after the display from the prince and her majesty, I should have considered how much scrutiny I was now going to be under. Even King Xavier and Queen Constance had their gazes fixed on me. If I approached Shad with such a following, it could potentially lead to undue questions and worse circumstances. Instead, I stopped in my tracks, and waited for Bastion to intercede. I watched as Bastion furtively approached Shad from the rear. The scholar was sincerely surprised to see his long time friend, but soon his surprise turned to frustration. He nearly made a scene. I couldn't believe he was acting so recklessly.
What is going on with him? I couldn't help but think. For a man so brilliant, he can certainly act stupid.
Bastion pointed to the wall behind them and took Shad by the shoulder and led him back there. Afterwards, they engaged in some whispering, and what looked like some heated conversation. I raised a brow under my mask. What in the world was going on over there?
This can't be good, I thought.
The two men were keeping their composure pretty well, but I could see the strain on their faces. Finally, I saw Bastion mouth something that looked like 'You did what?' as if in surprise. Whatever it was, it must have been pretty forthcoming. I took in a deep breath, and then saw from the corner of my eye several people watching me watch Shad and Bastion. I immediately cut my gaze and circumvented my attention away from the two men to face the intrigued audience. I was asking for trouble if I didn't. I needed a distraction, and I needed one quick. Fortunately for me, I wouldn't have to look long for one. To my surprise, there were several young maidens smiling and grinning at me from behind their masks across the room. I was surprised at this, considering the way some of them fronted earlier when I was prematurely exposed. One of them cleverly blew me a kiss from her fan.
I smirked subtly at that.
I certainly wasn't expecting any of this.
Well, well, well, I thought, I guess there's more than just the queen who's interested in having a piece of peasant life.
I didn't return the first lady's affections. However, I did see a young lady standing near her that would be an excellent decoy to get closer to her majesty on the dance floor. The young maiden looked no older than sixteen or seventeen years old. She had strawberry blonde hair and freckles. Her gown was long with golden embroidered stencils of bug designs all over it. The mask she was wearing was painted with golden residue, with a large ladybug painted over one eye, and that was when her identity was revealed to me.
Agitha... I thought with a small smile, and went to approach her.
Agitha looked surprised when she saw me walking towards her. Her eyes widened, she stood up straight, and made sure her posture was appropriate by keeping her chest out and her shoulders back.
"Oh my goddess!" she muttered to herself nervously.
Just the reaction I needed, since I knew then she wasn't going to say no.
"Good evening," I greeted in a low voice and a slight bow.
She was slightly taken aback with my gesture.
"Good evening," she replied.
I looked towards the dance floor where Zelda and Elbourne were. They looked like they were locked in a tense conversation of some kind, and that was troublesome to me, then turned my attention back to Agitha.
"May I have this dance my lady?" I asked.
Agitha's eyes widened stunned.
"Uh..." she trailed for a moment, not knowing whether she should accept or decline, "you want to dance with me?"
I nodded and stared at her in silence, waiting for her reply.
Come on, I thought, glancing back over at the queen, I just need you to twirl with me for a little while, that's all.
She hesitated once more, but then curtsied.
"I'd be honored," she said in her high pitched voice.
Perfect, I thought.
I grinned at her and offered her my arm, she took it gratefully and we walked towards the center of the room. Several people started whispering when we past by and Agitha suddenly looked uneasy. I, on the other hand, didn't care. However, I did take note of his and her majesty watching me closely.
I need to engage them once more, I thought, but I can't do so without the queen. She's designated me as her escort now.
When Agitha and I got to the edge of the dance floor, I bowed again, ready to take the bug queen on a covert spin. However, that wasn't going to happen. Suddenly, in the middle of their dance, the queen and the prince stopped dancing for some strange reason and Elbourne looked livid. It didn't take a genius to know that the two of them obviously said some unsavory words to each other. Even still, it was the prince's actions next that left everyone in a state of confusion and shock. He abruptly got down on one knee like he was ready to propose, and Zelda looked at him mortified. She said something to him only he could hear, but it seemed to be no use.
"I'm so glad you decided to accept my hand in marriage," the prince said in a bold loud voice.
There was instant silence from everyone else in the room after that. I was caught off guard with the utterance as well.
Wait a minute, what? I thought.
The prince stood up just then and faced the crowd.
"Everyone," Elbourne called out and the music stopped in the background, "it is my pleasure and honor to let you all be witnesses to the fact that her majesty said yes to my proposal of marriage."
There was a collective gasp from everyone in the audience. Given what just happened a moment ago, I was sure everyone knew that the dragon prince was grandstanding in some way. How in the world was her majesty going to blast him for being disrespectful one moment, and accept his hand in marriage the next? The man was acting like a desperate fool. It was almost beneath him... almost. Even still, the idiocy continued.
I shook my head.
This might be better than the play at dinner, I thought sarcastically.
"It is my esteem honor to announce that her majesty Zelda, queen of Hyrule has just accepted my hand in marriage," he said in a loud bold voice. "We were going to keep it a secret, but it looks like the cat is out of the proverbial bag." He looked over at the queen and smiled. "It looks like the Aristocrat's Ball has now become the Engagement Ball!"
Zelda looked stressed, and there was a brief silence after that. I didn't understand why she wasn't dispelling this nonsense right away, and a moment later, the awkwardness continued as confused applause erupted from the crowd. They had no idea what they had just witnessed. I had to reflect on that consideration again. Witnesses the dragon prince uttered... witnesses to what? Pure pretense? Foolhardy behavior? Apt stupidity? What? I wasn't going to lie, I had no idea what Elbourne was thinking either. Why would he assume anyone would believe he just retained a legitimate proposal from the queen, when everyone in the audience just saw the two of them arguing? His rationale didn't make sense. Was I and everyone else missing something?
He's a self serving idiot, I discerned.
However, Agitha standing next to me was clapping and had a big smile on her cute face.
"Isn't it wonderful?" she said in her high pitched voice. "I'm sure all the golden bugs of the world are swirling in happiness!"
I wasn't listening.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Sure," was all I verbalized.
In the background I heard his majesty King Xavier groan in frustration and disapproval.
"That fool," he said displeased.
I couldn't agree with you more sire, I thought, taking in a deep breath.
Agitha looked over at me concerned just then.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
I was staring at the queen now and nodded.
"I'm fine," I said, not sure if that was the right reply.
The applause continued and Zelda looked around the hall until she found me near the dance floor's edge. Her eyes met mine and she looked remorseful. It almost seemed like she wanted to say she was sorry, and she could tell from the look on my face that I wasn't happy with what I just heard. I knew none of this nonsense was true, but it still wasn't something I wanted to hear. I didn't like, nor approve of the idea of Zelda being with Elbourne. He didn't deserve her. He was a showman at best, and all he had going for him was his laurels of nobility. What else did he have to offer? Protection? Loyalty? A venereal disease? Men like that sickened me, and Zelda wasn't going to be saddled with him. If she ever came to me about my honest opinion of him, I wouldn't hesitate to give it.
He's a bastard and from what he just pulled, he's also a snake, I thought.
The applause reverberated and grew, and I just stood there and watched, waiting for the queen's rebuttal. I knew one was coming, the question was: how was Elbourne going to take it? I slowly cracked my knuckles in both of my hands in anticipation. I had a feeling things were going to get ugly soon, and if the dragon prince overreacted, I needed to make sure I was right there if Zelda needed me. I wasn't going to allow her safety to be compromised.
I hope she makes this as painless as possible, I thought, eyeing the prince, Elbourne looks like he bruises easily.
~SSS~
Meanwhile in the Audience, Several Minutes Before Elbourne's Proposal: Aruru's POV
There was a time when a ball was constituted for one purpose, and one purpose only, and that was to be leisure time for the rich and powerful. Now, these parties had eroded to nothing more than hotbeds for cabals, espionage, and assassination attempts. It was a place where traitors and conspirators alike could congregate together, make nice with the queen, dine at her table, and then try to take her out at the end of the evening. I wish I were kidding. I've been around for a long time, -since the youthful years of Daphnes II-, and I have never witnessed the amount of corruption in the days of old the way I've witnessed today. It was truly extraordinary to me that so many people coveted the power of the Nohanseen throne, and were willing to do anything to get it. They really had no idea what they were asking for.
To be frank, the family seemed to be cursed. I'm not making that comment to be fantastic, it was simply the truth. Every generation of the bloodline was plagued with some kind of major issue, and that was not taking into account the family's own personal deviant vices. It seemed the Nohanseens by nature were a little blood thirsty. No... very blood thirsty to be quite honest. There was more bloodshed at the hands of Hyrule's royal family, than there was of the combined efforts of all the assassination attempts put together in the last one hundred years. Yes, it was that bad. So, it was no wonder why Hyrule had so many enemies. It was a surprise that she didn't have more.
Even still, the country has had its bright spots: Hylia and the Hero of Sky, the Hero of Time, also known as Link the Great, the Sage of Time, Daphnes II, and now her majesty Queen Zelda the Sage of Light. All these rulers worked hard to try to right some of the wrongs of the past, but I often wondered if such activity were in vain. I never questioned it because I lived my life as a soldier, and soldiers were only meant to obey orders, but there was so much for the family to atone for. Years ago a corrupted Hylian king slaughtered a Gerudo tribe of women and children because he 'thought' they were a threat to the country. Now, keep in mind that there was no intelligence stating otherwise, he was simply going off of a whim... that was still hard for me to think about.
Another example was of a twisted princess who kidnapped maidens and bled them to death in an underground torture chamber to retain her beauty. She took depravity to a whole new level, but the only ray of light in that scenario was that Nayru took the gift of the Triforce away from her. Afterwards, that princess was banished and never heard from again. I felt no remorse of what became of her when I read the historical account. She was murdered as an act of revenge by some of the grieved family members. Her body was never found. I still feel unsettled when I think about that. How could a woman lose all sense of her nurturing capabilities and kill innocent maidens for such vain pursuits? I didn't understand it, and knew perhaps I never would.
However, perhaps the worst offense I could recall went back to the Great War. Hyrule was at war with the forces of another incarnation of Demise. Due to that war, alliances were made that otherwise never would have existed. However, throughout the blood letting, it was rumored that a love affair ensued between the Hylian king and the Twili queen. The child of that affair still remains a mystery. It was also whispered that the identity of that child was revealed years ago under muddled circumstances. I wasn't sure how true that was. I still to this day have no idea who that child is. Anyway, the Twili queen's husband, the king of the Twili, was an ally to the Hylian king. He helped turn back the tide of the insurgents trying to take over Hyrule. The Twili king was told he would receive a piece of a golden power for all of his efforts, however, that never happened. As reward for his efforts, he was denounced as a traitor, bound, and later beheaded. Many of the citizens had no idea this ever happened. It was kept a secret to keep the Nohanseen name above suspicion. However, those who did know found it hard to keep a blunt front. It was just too devastating. I never understood the depth of such treachery. I served Hyrule, true, but I wasn't ignorant to her history. I knew... I knew it all too well.
In any such case, it was a shame that innocent persons who had nothing to do with such events were now targets of old vendettas. I meant the livelihood of her majesty Queen Zelda. I distinctly remember two years ago, when the queen was still a princess, there were three different coordinated attempts on her life at the ball. All three of them were amazingly by the same individual. The individual was a member of the dark tribe that was once an ally to the royal family. Anyway, beyond all the hoopla, regalia, and fanfare of the evening, the other nobles in this very room had no idea what was going on. Even her highness at the time was oblivious to the plot. She was too busy entertaining the dragon prince much like she was now. The only reason she was alive today was due to my receiving some critical intelligence right before the first attempt on her life. It was in the form of a poem by a drunken soldier in on the plan. He was given 'truth potion' to help make him talk. He was mumbling over and over again what seemed like some illogical words. At first, I thought he was resisting the potion, but when I listened carefully, I realized he was saying something of importance. He uttered:
"Silver birds sing in heavenly places
Hylia's cataract brands royal family's faces..."
What in the world was he talking about?
For twenty minutes my men and I were trying to decipher what the hell he meant. Finally, we understood that his ramblings were more than simple incoherence. He was telling us the method with which the princess was going to be killed. The "silver birds" were a design embossed on a silver chalice given to the princess prior to the party, where the stem of the cup was an impression of Hylia. The "cataract" of Hylia's eyes were two removable rubies, where a small amount of poison was poured into the goblet to be mixed with the wine. Before the princess drank any of the concoction, my men intercepted the chalice and replaced it with another one while no one took notice. We then waited and watched the crowd to see who looked the most anticipatory for the princess to have her meal. There was a strange looking old noble standing near the edge of the princess's table for what seemed to be no particular reason. He wasn't engaged with anyone there, he seemed to stand off too much to himself, and he was watching her highness a little too eagerly for my liking. It turned out he was the man we were looking for. When the culprit was found, he was immediately arrested and charged with treason, but we did so quietly. The rest of the evening almost went on without a hitch, that was... until near the very end. That same noble planned two more attacks in the event of his arrest: one to commandeer the princess's carriage if she were to leave the castle, and the other was an attempt with an assassin's bow. Both were failures, but I knew from that time onward that her highness was going to have a hard time ruling because she was the lone member of the royal family. Everyone else was gone, and she needed protection and guidance. I offered that to her freely, knowing there were nobles who would stop at nothing to have the riches and power of her bloodline. It was my duty to make sure that never happened, and for the most part, my men -and my beloved daughter- have been successful.
That introspection led me back to the here and the now. At present, I saw several oddities that led me to believe that another attempt was on the way. The only problem was, I had a feeling the killer wasn't vying for the queen. The attempt this time would be to take out the hero, but considering what I knew of the young master, killing him would make no sense. He was a threat to the nobility, true, but his death would precipitate several draw backs for several different people. Those people being both obvious and not so obvious. The obvious ones were Prince Elbourne, Lord Vincent, and to a greater or lesser extent his sister Lady Morgana. Elbourne was front and center on my suspect list due to his obsessive nature of Queen Zelda. I knew he wanted the queen, and I was sure he would do anything to get her. Lord Vincent was an obvious prime suspect because of his extreme hatred for the young hero. It was no secret he wanted Link dead, and his office was currently receiving several drawbacks because the queen negated approval for funding. He wasn't able to get what he wanted done. Vincent's sister, Lady Morgana, was suspicious mainly by association. I had heard things about her, but I wasn't sure if any of it were true. I hadn't been to the Red Lantern District in years. However, given that Link spoke with her during the earlier part of the evening, it was apparent that he knew her in some way, and the conversation didn't look friendly. Whatever the case might have been, it was clear that Morgana was not on Link's good side.
A potential problem with an unclear circumstance, I thought in relation to the young woman.
The not so obvious people in this scenario were the dragon king, the dragon queen, and in a weird twist of fate... Lord Vincent. King Xavier may have wanted to extricate the threat of the hero for his own financial reasons, but it seemed unlikely because he wasn't an irrational man. Xavier was going to do what was best for his kingdom, he had his vices, but he wasn't an extremist. So, right now he was above suspicion. Queen Constance may or may not have a hand in a situation like this because she would do anything for her son. Elbourne meant the world to her, however, again, like her husband, she wasn't an unreasonable woman. She thought things through and considered the approach of peace much like Queen Zelda. Constance would probably be surprised I was categorizing her on my list of suspects, but such was the case in situations like these. A person could never be too trusting. Even still, she really was a woman above suspicion, and all she wanted to do was love and be loved deeply. I understood her plight, she of all people knew I understood her plight all too well. It wasn't fair that she was trapped in a loveless marriage where the man she wanted was out of her reach emotionally.
I felt for Constance.
I really did.
Moving back to my not so conspicuous considerations, I put Vincent on that list as well. I knew that didn't make sense, but it wasn't really that hard to understand once the reasoning behind it was explained. Vincent was delving into something. I wasn't sure what, but he was definitely delving into something. He was more than what he appeared to be with his guise of advice and political associates both inside and outside Hyrule. He was into something dark and sinister, and I had a terrible feeling he needed Link to gain access to it. That would be a reason he would go after the hero, but not necessarily want him dead. In any such case, I needed to keep my eyes open and my ears clear. There was too much at stake to get caught unawares by anything else. However, I was taking note of one possible distraction staring at me intently from across the hall. I had noticed the gazes off and on since I came to the fore of the room. I stared back and knew there was nothing I could do about it at this time.
Perhaps if either of us can get away for a moment... I thought cryptically.
I tried to give a reassurance with a long look, but I could tell that wasn't going to be enough... it never was. Even still, I cut my gaze short and decided to have another go around of the perimeter. Standing there looking eagerly at a person I cared for was going to bring undue attention to myself. In the mean time, I took note of Bastion speaking with Shad and it looked like they were engaged in some heavy conversation. I let them be for now and headed towards the other side of the room. So far, everything was pretty much the same, only now space was being made to accommodate the actors for the play later.
I stopped for a moment.
The play... I thought.
Whatever was going to happen was likely going to take place then. I just needed to be sure that none of the others were lulled into a sense of complacency because of the beauty and intrigue of the evening. I turned and scanned the crowd routinely to find my daughter looking lovely in her white gown, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. If her mother were alive she would be proud that her little girl turned out to be such a beauty. A beauty and a little bit of a man magnet. I was sure Ashei had no idea I saw her caught up in an act of indecency with the dragon prince a little while ago. It was no matter, I knew that wasn't her intention, but her beau may not take too kindly too that. However, given Bastion's past record with women, I was sure the young soldier would be more than willing to forgive my daughter. I looked back over at the former womanizer and raised a masked brow.
He better, I thought.
At this point I saw Ashei making her way over to me, probably wanting to ask me what I was doing here like she had done earlier. I knew she was concerned, but my intentions were threefold: I was here for the queen, I was here for the hero, and I was also here for myself. I looked back over at my distraction once more and caught her staring at me again. She cut her eyes away and focused once more on keeping her guise intact. I hoped she knew how I felt about her, even though I couldn't share anything with her right now. Again, if I could get away for a moment I would try and do so. We had our own way of communicating, so if there was a break in security or anything like that, I would signal for her to meet me in our usual place.
Soon my beloved, I thought, we'll meet up again soon.
When Ashei caught up to me, I could see the queer expression she was trying to conceal from her face. She must have noticed a crack in my veneer, and that was foolish on my part. I needed to keep my front up as much as possible.
She paused for a moment before she spoke to me.
"Are you alright father?" she asked me in a low voice.
I nodded and tried to smile.
"Yes my dear," I said in my always official voice.
She stared at me for a second as if she didn't believe me, but then decided to let her inquiry go.
I was reassured with that.
Thank you my dear, I thought in a bit of relief.
She took in a sigh and looked at me with a slight worry in her masked eyes.
"I think we may have a problem," she whispered, changing the subject.
I raised a covered brow when she said that.
Has she found something out that I don't know? I wondered.
"A problem?" I repeated.
Ashei nodded and sighed.
"It's Shad father," she said without being clear.
My ears perked at hearing that.
I was slightly annoyed at the mentioning of that.
Wonderful, I thought sarcastically, what has he done now?
"Shad?" I said once more. "What about him?"
The evening was about to get more interesting.
~SSS~
Twenty Minutes Before Elbourne's Proposal: Shad's POV
I haven't been to a noble's ball in years. I don't care for them too much honestly, and most of the people here don't know of my family, which is completely fine if you ask me. I am of noble blood true, but my family's power has waned over time, and the simple manor I live in is more accommodating for a commoner than for someone who's supposed to be a part of the richest elite in Hyrule. It is no matter, I'm very content with my simpler life. Due to it, I have more time for study and leisure time. I've always been known as a bit of a bookworm, even before both my parents died. It's something I enjoy, and I feel it gives my life meaning.
When the hero Link asked me to join the counter insurgency team, I jumped at the opportunity. I finally had an avenue to put my knowledge to work. I'm glad to be an asset to her majesty, but I'm also ecstatic that I have access to her coveted library. There were more books, first edition texts, and scrolls canonized there than the whole of Hyrule. I could only dream about such a place once upon a time. Now, the dream was a reality.
However, books and study weren't my only forte, I've recently started frequenting other places in Hyrule for archaeological reasons. When Zant and Ganondorf were running amok, I traveled to several different areas in Hyrule to study old archaic relics. The Dominion Rod was one such relic, as well as the apparatuses being used to communicate with the relic, the owl statues. When Zant and Ganondorf were defeated, I continued my travels and fell upon the discovery of the Red Lantern District. Now, that may not have been a big deal for most men, and I was certain plenty of soldiers could tell me wild and licentious tales of such a place. However, I never knew such a domain existed. There was no typographic or cartographic evidences of it anywhere. It wasn't on any of the grids. It wasn't on any maps. It wasn't anywhere. It was just there... and because of it I was currently in some trouble.
Serious trouble.
I've been visiting a particular girl there a deal for quite some time. She was the most beautiful, sensuous woman I had ever known. She made me feel things that weren't supposed to be possible for a man to feel. She took sexual prowess to a whole different level, and when I saw her that day in Castle Town Square when she bumped into Master Link, I was careful to keep her identity secret. I was sure she recognized me as well at the time. Anyway, my visits became more frequent as the months went on and she understood that I had a pretty sustainable level of comfort with her... what I meant was, she knew what fetishes I liked. I'm not going to pretend I don't have a 'adventurous' side. I do, and my lady friend helped me hone that.
Anyway, one evening we had finished up our 'activities' and she gave me a glass of what I thought was wine. It was delicious, but the concoction did make me feel a little loopy and loose lipped... maybe too loose lipped. For some strange reason she kept asking me all these unusual questions about Master Link. I didn't even know she knew Master Link. Anyway, she kept goading me until I slipped and told her about his illness and the effects it had on certain wave forms of radiation. It was only later I found out the drink was truth potion. After that evening, I never saw her again. I was serious. I never saw her again intimately after that. She simply chose not to make herself available to me, even when I went back to the district several times requesting for her. It was then I realized she was only using me for information.
It wasn't until tonight I saw her for the first time in months. She looked different fully clothed, but there were certain considerations that could not be denied. I knew that mouth and that red hair of hers anywhere. I needed to speak to her alone, and when I saw she was no longer dancing with the dragon prince, I decided it was time to approach her. She was standing near the edge of the dance floor, looking upset that the prince was being entertained by the queen. It didn't seem she was trying at all to hide her jealousy. I wasn't sure if she was in love with Prince Elbourne or not, or if her displeasure was generated from him being just another customer. Maybe she wanted more. I didn't know, and it didn't matter to me. Her personal life was her own affair. She made that blatantly clear when she chose not to see me again. My concern was who she told my slip up to, and when I heard her name announced with Lord Vincent's, I knew for a certainty I had completely screwed up. I knew how much Vincent hated Link, and if she told her brother about Link's illness, chances were the noble was gutting for him with that angle. That was why I felt so terrible a few weeks ago in the Situation Room. That was when I recalled my apt stupidity. The damage had been done months ago, but I didn't recall anything until a few weeks before the ball when I was with another young lady. It suddenly just hit me.
I was starting to feel the worst regarding this situation.
How could I have been so stupid? I thought.
I kept my eye on Lady Morgana when I made my way through the crowd. She had brushed me off once, she wasn't going to do so again, not if she cared about her reputation. I stopped short of her and tapped her shoulder to get her attention. She ignored me, but I tapped her again and she finally turned around and looked at me furiously. I think she already knew it was me.
"What do you want?" she snapped in a low. "I told you to leave me alone!"
I looked at her determined.
"I need to talk to you," I replied, "we have some unfinished business."
She was trying to stay composed, but that was proving difficult.
"We have nothing to discuss!" she said trying to keep her voice controlled. "I told you I don't want to see you again! Your fetishes are too perverse for my liking! Now begone before I have you arrested!"
I scoffed.
Not as perverse as yours you sick witch, I thought upset.
"You're not in any position to dismiss anyone," I shot back, "and as I recall I can have you investigated for erroneous and seditious activities. Let's not forget that your whoring around makes you a political scapegoat for Hyrule, even her enemies."
Morgana looked at me shocked, not expecting me to go there.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she demanded.
I narrowed my eyes.
"You know what I'm talking about," I replied, knowing I just gained the upper hand.
Morgana looked at me incensed.
"You insolent bastard!" she seethed. "How dare you threaten me with such actions?!"
I wasn't through with her.
"How dare you think you're above the law?" I replied. "If I whistle one word to her majesty, then your whole operation will be under investigation. I know who the real madam of the district is my lady. You have that girl Mystere down there acting as your decoy for a front, when you're actively having girls kidnapped to work illegally in your brothel houses. You've been the leader of the women's sex trade for years! I have proof, and if you don't give me the answer to one of my questions I'm going to go forward with it!"
Morgana looked at me stunned and swallowed hard.
"You wouldn't," she whispered, "not if you don't want your own reputation tarnished."
I didn't care about that right now.
"Who did you tell what I told you?" I demanded, changing the subject. "I want an answer."
Her cool green eyes narrowed.
"I won't be threatened by the likes of a man like you, you do you what you feel you must," she whispered with her finger pointed at me, she thought I was bluffing. "If you had any real evidence you would have gone forward by now. I will not be bullied by an insignificant retch! You're nothing!"
With that she turned and walked away from me. I was upset and tried to grab for her, but it was no use, she was out of my reach. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Master Link had witnessed the whole exchange, and now he was slowly making his way over to where I was.
Damn, this isn't good, I thought, then quickly turned to leave the dance area and head for the outer perimeter.
I had to get away.
However, before I could head outside, I was hoodwinked and approached quickly by Master Bastion. I had no idea he was anywhere near me. Maybe that was why I was a scholar and not a spy. His actions in turn caused Link to stop his advancement due to the attention he was procuring. Bastion looked upset and a little annoyed with me as he put his hand on my shoulder to halt me.
"Leaving so soon?" he asked in a quiet undertone.
I closed my eyes as his grip tightened.
Wonderful, I thought sarcastically, this is not how this is supposed to go.
~SSS~
Moments Leading Up to Elbourne's Proposal: Ashei's POV
Being a woman in the military was tough. Not only did I have to prove I was tougher than the 'toughees', I also had to prove I was smarter than the 'smartees'. That coupled with the fact I was Master Aruru's daughter made my situation a little more complicated. I was a mixture of what some thought as 'the silver spoon meets the obvious expectation' child. When I joined the Royal Academy at sixteen my mother thought I was crazy. She told me to settle down and get married. I told her I would once the adventurous side of me was out of my system. However, when my mother fell ill and died suddenly, I honestly thought to reconsider my plans because I wanted to make sure her legacy lived on. My father was never the same when my mother died and he buried himself in his work. I knew that was his way of dealing with his pain. He was never the type of man to let his emotions show, but when I needed his shoulder to cry on, he was readily available to me.
However, after some thinking, I didn't renege on my plan A and kept with my training. I graduated high in my class and was the first female commissioned officer ever. It was hard initially, but when I proved myself, the sexiest comments subsided and I made some true friends with many of the men in the barracks. I think they appreciated the fact that even though I was a soldier, I still embraced my femininity. I never denied that I was a woman, and when I met Bastion, he said that was one of things that made him fall in love with me. After a year or so on the front lines, I worked closely with my father in his information network. I implemented a few new ideas, and the network became more streamlined. Information was easier to obtain, intelligence was better suited for the environments needed, and the collection of that information was quicker.
I wanted to be someone my father was proud of. That may have sounded silly to some, but it was the truth. I knew the reputation my father had, and it wasn't going to be easy living in his shadow. Tonight was proving to be no exception. It started off well, but I was embarrassed by my behavior on the terrace, and felt I was one upped by the dragon prince because of it. I should have known Elbourne was going to try something with me, but for whatever reason I thought he was going to pass me by for some other girl. I had no idea he was going to ask me to dance and then later proposition me for a sexual favor. I should have been aware, but unfortunately, I let my guard down, and to be honest, I wasn't surprised as to why women were smitten with him.
When he wasn't a crass dog, he was quite charming. He was conversational, he was attentive, he was extraordinarily handsome... he bore an amazing resemblance to Link, and he was brilliant. However, I didn't expect him to go as far as he did with me, and for that, I felt like a failure. Why did I let my guard down so readily with that man? He was no one special. He wasn't my Bastion. Even still, I let him hold me in a way he shouldn't have, and I let him kiss me like I only let Bastion kiss me. Yes, I let him kiss me. I could've pulled away and showed a little more restraint, but for whatever reason I didn't, and I felt foolish now because of it.
Anyway, I wasn't going to harp on that any longer. It was over, and now he had the woman in tow that he really wanted, Queen Zelda. I didn't envy her, but she certainly was fortunate to have both Master Link and Prince Elbourne vying for her attention, and with Elbourne trying to show Link out the way he did, I was sure things were going to get more complicated for her. I think everyone was aware that she favored Link over the dragon prince at this point, and judging by the angry look and crazy breathing on Elbourne's face, I was sure he knew that too.
That's one conversation I'm glad I'm not at the other end of, I thought.
Currently, I was being stared at by several single maidens who were still upset that Elbourne asked me for a dance over them. If they had known how badly it turned out, they wouldn't be so jealous. Two of them whispered something to each other and then pointed at me. Afterwards, the both of them laughed.
I just sighed.
What is this? Primary school? I thought.
I ignored them, and scanned the crowd to see if the others were alright. To my surprise, I caught Shad speaking to Lady Morgana, and the two of them looked like they were having a very tense conversation. I had no idea Shad even knew her.
I raised a covered brow.
Something's not right about that, I thought, why in the world would he keep a relationship like that a secret from everyone?
I watched the whole ordeal until it ended badly and Shad walked away. I didn't want to lose him, so I decided to go after him, it was the perfect reason to escape the nonsensical stares I was receiving anyway. However, before I reached midway, I saw both Link and Bastion pursuing Shad. Link stopped himself as Bastion had the rogue scholar in tow. The two men whispered something to each other, then walked away from the immediate crowd. I sighed and stopped my advance, Link had done the same, but for different reasons. The crowd was watching the hero and he needed to be careful. Instead, he turned to the crowd and looked like he found the perfect diversion: a young maiden with strawberry blonde hair and a golden bug mask. I in turn headed back to where I was, but then segued to another thought when I saw my father. He looked like he was staring at someone.
Is someone trying to make a move? I wondered, trying to follow his line of sight.
I decided to make my way over to him to ask.
I certainly hope everything is okay for now, I thought.
When I approached, father shifted his gaze to me, but he seemed preoccupied.
That had me a little concerned.
"Are you alright father?" I asked.
He grinned at me, which was unusual.
"Yes my dear," he replied.
I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about his tone was insincere.
Why does he seem troubled? I wondered.
I wanted to ask him, but reasoned now wasn't the time to do so. Instead, I leaned forward a little and lowered my voice.
"I think we may have a problem," I whispered.
He was alerted at hearing that.
"A problem?" he repeated.
I nodded and sighed.
"It's Shad father," I divulged.
He seemed annoyed at hearing that.
"Shad?" he inquired. "What about Shad?"
Before I could answer, I was interrupted by a startling loud voice. It captured everyone's attention.
"I'm so glad you decided to accept my proposal of marriage," said a loud booming male voice from the dance floor, "you've made me the happiest man alive!"
I turned around surprised and looked on with the rest of the crowd.
"What in the world...?" I trailed.
It was only then I realized the ridiculousness of the situation. It was precipitated by Elbourne of Dragon Roost. He was down on one knee like he was ready to propose marriage. I covered my mouth shocked.
Like I said before, I thought, I'm not envious of her majesty.
~SSS~
The Present, Out on the Dance Floor: Zelda's POV
I stood there stunned for a moment, then scanned the crowd to find Link staring at me at the dance floor's edge with a look of displeasure in his eyes. I could understand that. I could definitely understand that. In all honesty, he looked more annoyed than upset. How could he not after our previous conversation on the terrace? He knew none of this nonsense was true, and the presumptuous actions of Elbourne was only going to lead to more embarrassment for him. That was the last thing I wanted, especially considering his relationship with his father. However, what could I do? He was leaving me little to no choice. I then turned my attention to the immediate crowd and saw the sea of confused faces and chatter. I held up my hand to silence everyone. I had to dispel this before it got more out of hand.
This fool, I couldn't help but think, why does he insist on making a mockery of himself?
When the nobles saw my gesture, the room immediately got quiet. Elbourne had a nondescript look on his face even though he was smiling. He must have subconsciously known that I was about to put an end to the pretentiousness he was spewing. It didn't have to be so hard on him if he didn't make it hard on himself.
"My lords and ladies," I began, "there has been a huge misunderstanding just now. Once again, his highness has a penchant for being a court jest like he has in the past, for he knows as well as I, that no such proposal was given." I turned my head a little and looked at the prince, his forced smile faded slowly. "He was caught up in the festivities of the moment and decided to speak without thinking his... joke thoroughly through." I forced a smile across my face now. "Such is the folly of the presumptuous. He'd do well to consult me before divulging such a trick. It only serves to discomfit everyone involved, especially himself." I was speaking at this point like he wasn't standing right next to me.
Elbourne obviously didn't appreciate what I just said. He moved quickly to try to retract it, and addressed the crowd. "Her majesty-" he tried, but I quickly interjected.
"-has spoken," I interrupted, and turned directly to face him, my expression was serious. "Stop this nonsense your highness, you know I won't marry you for reasons you and I both understand," I said with a hint of finality. "Please, no more, it's over."
The dragon prince's eyes widened in astonishment. "What?" he whispered to me without being able to help himself. His eyes desperately searched my face. "What do you mean it's over?"
I stared at him with a twinge of guilt and remorse, but I didn't reply. He was talking like we were the only people there, and if he wasn't careful he was going to divulge something meant for my ears only. Instead of prolonging his embarrassment, I bowed and tried to recoup as much of his pride as possible.
"Thank you for the dance your highness," I said respectfully, "it was most entertaining. Now, please excuse me, I must greet the rest of my guests."
Elbourne wasn't going to accept this.
"You... you can't be serious," he said to me, with his grip tightening slightly, and I saw several of my men in the background suddenly get out of their at ease stance.
I didn't want that. No fighting was going to ensue over something like this.
"I..." I trailed quietly enough so only he would hear me, "I'm dead serious."
There was a tense silence between us, and the hall was quiet before a low hum of shock the spread throughout the crowd and set in. Elbourne looked beyond speechless, and I took the opportunity to unhinge our hands and give him a quick curtsy to lessen the hurt. Even still, I didn't think that was going to help much. As I walked away he stared after me, and everyone in the room was waiting to see what was going to happen next. I was hoping Elbourne's latest display would be the end of his spontaneity for one night, but it seemed I was in for a surprise.
I had no idea what was about to take place.
No idea whatsoever.
Please write a review and tell me what you think. Chapter 30 is coming soon!
