For those of you who are not aware, I now have an account on AO3 and have started posting chapters for the uncensored version of Villainous (link on my profile). I shall be uploading them as they are revised, so it actually only has the first chapter there right now, but more are soon to come!
Work has been crazy, but since I'm able to work from home I can have my laptop right next to me to do more writing. So updates are still happening!
Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! And thank you so much to those who are supporting me on ko-fi!
Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 21:
Chaos erupted.
The corpse advanced at a steady lagging pace. Pale, with eye sockets and mouth stretched wide, its teeth pointed and menacing. Wisps of sickening foul miasma trailed off of it as it raised its poleaxe high.
Everyone scattered, running out the archways, shoving past the guards trying to get through.
The poleaxe hacked down and split the floor as a streak of black energy cleaved a shattered line to the foot of the throne. The blue rug was completely shredded, debris filled the air, the marble flooring torn up. The entire foundation shook and Zelda stumbled to her knees.
Link fell down half covering her but was quick to rise once more.
"Hadrian! Get Zelda out of here!"
The knight was too far away to instantly comply, but others had come in answer to Link's call. In an instant she was surrounded. Sir Wilkins helped her up as Link slipped past and ran for the phantom corpse.
The corpse shrieked, a hollow guttural cry of agony. It lumbered forward, lifting its weapon for another strike.
"Come, your majesty!" a female knight beckoned her, grabbing her forearm.
Shielded by a wall of knights Zelda was hustled to the rear of the throne. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Link just as he caught the blade of the phantom's poleaxe on its downward swing. Sparks flew as they ground against each other, Link straining to push back against his foe.
Then he was lost to view, blocked by her throne.
The lady knight, Dame Lucille, jabbed the mechanism to open the hidden door and stood back as it swung wide… And unveiled a half decayed cadaver in the passage.
It opened its serrated mouth, wide and menacing, and lunged just as the door banged closed.
"Back! Get back!" shouted Sir Justin as he and Hadrian arrived to take charge.
"Great Hylia," breathed Lucille, eyes blown and incredulous. "What the hell is going on?"
From behind them Zelda could hear the clash of weapons as Link and the corpse fought. She sprinted past her guards and rounded the throne to see.
"Your majesty!"
Link faced the monstrous phantom with calm reserve. A guard had tossed him a shield at some point and he used it to bash the corpse back, knocking it off kilter. He followed through with a spinning slash while Ashei attacked from the rear, slicing into it. They both leapt back as the phantom recovered and spun his poleaxe in wide circles above his head.
While its steps were slow, it had no problem administering quick strikes. It cranked the poleaxe back and in a fearsome thrust launched it forward in a powerful jab that would have impaled stone. Quick on his feet, Link rolled out of the way.
A wide border of guards hovered around the perimeter of the battle spears raised while Link and Ashei fought on. Captain Martin was there, issuing orders to the soldiers as they conveyed the remaining nobles away.
One such noble broke off from the rest. Skirts swishing around her legs, she dashed to the throne.
"Zelda!"
She looked up, and rushed forward. "Anne!"
They clasped each other's arms and were again enfolded by her wall of knights.
"What are you doing here?" Zelda pressed, gaze straying toward the fight that waged on before them.
"I wasn't just going to leave without knowing where you were," said Anne in a rushed tone. "Why haven't you left? I don't know what's going on, but we have to get you away!"
"She's right," said Justin from his spot in the circle, facing outward with his dagger drawn. "We must get you both away from here."
But then abruptly Anne's face went pale, her eyes wide and fearful, staring straight ahead. "Oh Goddesses. Zelda…"
Zelda turned and her breathing spiked. The cadaver in the passage had diffused through the wall, his head sticking out staring sightlessly at them. All around them, all along the walls, heads appeared. Motley grey and black, emerging from the stonework. Everywhere, heads and heads, as if they had been decapitated and mounted there like gruesome trophies. The sight burned into her mind. One she would remember for the rest of her life.
"Spirits," Anne bleated, shaking and horrified. "Desra mentioned something about spirits before she disappeared. I thought she was telling me about a nightmare she had."
Zelda squeezed her eyes tight to ward of the despair. Her emotions a pool of turmoil within her.
Her eyes snapped open, pressing her lips in a thin line as she bent down. She hitched up her skirts and withdrew her dagger from a thigh holster. She clenched her hand tight around the hilt to prevent it from shaking.
The ghostly body of the cadaver from the passageway fully seeped through the door, materializing before them, its spindly hands reaching out. It reared back.
"Your orders, your majesty?" called Wilkins, shield and sword at the ready.
The other knights had their weapons out it wary preparation. Braced to fight to the death.
Zelda looked them over, her most valued knights and comrades. She would not let them down. She would see to it that they all survived this.
"Defend only," she shouted. "Your attacks won't affect them. Sirs Justin and Hadrian at the front. Anne, you and anyone else who can wield fire use it to hold them back. Don't let any reach Link and Ashei. And above all," she called out, and spun her dagger in a reverse hold before her. "Don't die!"
The cadaver surged toward them.
Sir Justin slashed upward in a wide arc, cleaving it in two, the magic of the dagger sending it straight to the afterlife.
And then they attacked en masse. Ghosts came pouring in through the walls, swooping down like diving guay and striking with teeth and claws.
Fire and lightning struck around them. Anne manipulating both of her elements at once. Sweat beaded on her brow, her expression fearful but intent. Justin and Hadrian did their best to take on the onslaught by themselves, but the numbers were too great and the rest of the ranks were easily penetrated.
Zelda slashed at a decayed hand that lunged for her throat and spun to decapitate another. She knew full well they were after her. If they'd been overtaken in the passage they would have all been slaughtered in seconds.
Her knights did as she'd commanded and primarily defended, thrusting out their shields to knock the ghosts away. One ghost suddenly drew up and became more transparent. It then spiraled down and shot straight through the center of a knight. The knight froze and went down, crumpling to his knees. He shook and retched over the floor. The ghost re-established its form and went for the knight's unguarded back.
Zelda sped between them and the ghost flew into her, impaling itself on her outstretched blade. Its flesh and rot scattered over her before dissolving into ash.
"Are you alright?" she directed toward the knight who hadn't ceased his shaking. She bit her lip and resumed fighting. "Dame Marissa! Take Sir Anthony away! The rest of you, don't let them touch you when they become translucent!"
There were so many. They wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.
"Shields up!" called Sir Justin.
A knight threw himself over her and they both hunkered down. He released a grunt as something thudded against the shield raised high over their heads. He lowered it when the volley abated. Old rusted spears were scattered around them, having been thrown from above. Rebuffed by the sturdy metal of their shields.
Sir Hadrian stood before her, wiping a smear of blood from his cheek with his thumb.
"Your majesty, I'm to get you out of here."
Zelda looked around her. Her knights were falling one by one. With no way to properly defend themselves they were helpless against this enemy. Another was permeated from behind by a ghost and he too reacted in the same way the first had, with wretched vomiting. Dame Lucille threw up her arm as a ghost latched its teeth into her, clanging against the metal vambrace, while another took advantage of her distraction and sunk its claws into her side.
A whorl of fire burst from across the room, where Anne's power raged against the undead.
"Anne!" she called out. She would not leave without her friend. She would not lose another to these undead freaks.
Anne was breathing heavy, every move instigated through terror fueled adrenaline. She whipped her head over to Zelda and started running for her.
A phantom blocked her path and Anne shrieked, thrusting a surge of flame outward at the ghost. It squealed as it caught fire but did not abate its assault.
"Just go! Leave, Zelda!" She struck with lightning this time and it stunned the ghost long enough for Justin to cleave it with his dagger.
"Come on," Hadrian urged.
And Zelda left only because she knew the ghosts would follow. This was it. The creature Link was fighting was the pale phantom that Impaz had told them about. The one that was to deal her the fatal blow. Her time was up and the ghosts would not back down until she was dead.
She didn't intend on making it easy for them, but she was not willing to see her knights die to that end.
Hadrian hurried close to her as they made their escape, covering her with cloak and shield.
Suddenly Hadrian slipped on a puddle of blood. He clashed to the floor and took Zelda down with him.
They sprawled at the foot of the stairs, and Zelda lifted herself on her forearms and shook her head, groaning. Everything had become muffled, her ears ringing with the cacophony of cries of the dead. She blinked the cloudiness from her vision and waited for everything to stop spinning.
Ghosts soared in a circling swarm above her. The ground shook as the phantom corpse again slammed his poleaxe into the marble and let off another wave of energy. One of the pillars had been knocked over, flecks of masonry crumbled from the ceiling, but the structure still held.
And then something silver came streaking toward her, running in great bounds. It slipped between the legs of the corpse, darted around Link as he swung his blade, and pounced onto her back. Zelda felt the small weight use her as a springboard and launch impossibly high in the air, spitting and hissing as it clawed at the ghosts, shredding them apart.
It was Catawampus.
She watched in amazement how the cat tore into the ghost, leaping high and catching them on their downward strikes, often springing off the knights and their shields. At that moment, she loved that cantankerous grouch of a cat more than ever. But even he had little effect on their numbers. They kept coming, a nonstop barrage.
A hand latched to her arm, pulling her to her feet.
"Apologies, but we must keep going."
Zelda nodded, disoriented from the fall and eardrums aching. She could barely hear Hadrian urging her on beside him. Blood streamed down the sides of her face, her dress was smeared with red. The stench of it was enough to cause nausea to rise within her. It only worsened as suddenly she was yanked to an abrupt halt.
All at once Hadrian shoved her back and held out his dagger in defense before him. Zelda blinked away her blurry vision and strained to see what was going on.
The enormous phantom corpse stood in their way, directly in front of them. Its empty sockets stared straight at her and it raised its hand, reaching out as if to smite her.
Zelda stood firm and even though her legs wobbled as vertigo hit, she refused to back down.
The corpse shuffled a step in her direction. Slowly it lifted its poleaxe, aimed to hack in to her. It would be a painful, drawn out death, were that blade to strike her. She shuddered as she imagined what it would be like to be cleaved in two by such a massive blade. The agony and terror she would feel. Would she see the Goddesses upon her death? Would they be ashamed with her failures during the Invasion, just as her father and grandfather were? Was her death due to the curse inevitable?
Hadrian stood unwavering between them. She would not let him die protecting her. Too many had already died to see to it that she lived.
The corpse grunted, its voice a shrill eerie sound as it moaned, "Dnnnn… D..d-dieeeeeee!"
The folds of its mangled cloak shifted apart as it stretched its arms back, black miasma flowing around it in an upward stream, a contrast to its stark paleness.
Zelda glimpsed the rusted chest plate where a faded and chipped heraldry was displayed. She recognized it. Knew it as well as her own emblem. Knew to whom it belonged.
She gasped, hands darting up to her mouth. Her imminent death suddenly the least of her concerns.
The pale phantom. Someone known personally to the victim.
"Sir Hector!"
The former Sir Hector reeled his weapon back. He was going to launch it. To strike her through and fulfill the terms of the curse. One of her dearest knights and her greatest regret.
"Dnnnnnn!"
Twin claws ripped through the air and thudded into the corpse's shoulder blades. Link was propelled forward through the wreckage, dagger drawn. He landed on the former knight's back and, before the corpse could complete its antic, thrust the Sheikah dagger through its heart from the rear. For good measure, he tore out the blade and slashed his neck, severing the head.
The corpse of Sir Hector slumped, the poleaxe dropped with a loud clang as it clattered on the marble flooring, scattering bits of marble throughout. Hector's head fell back and he let out a silent groan.
Link jumped off as the corpse disintegrated, the pale face of the phantom splintering into black shards, the miasma swirling all around him then exploding outward, before slowly disintegrating. The corpse was no more.
A frigid wind tore in through the arches, whipping the banners around wildly.
The swarm of ghosts rioted above them then shrieked with anguish. They plummeted at once and soared aimlessly throughout the throne room, no longer attacking, no longer with purpose.
Link barrelled for her, storing his clawshots in a pouch he hadn't been wearing before.
Zelda stumbled to meet him and fell into his arms. The screeching in her ears had intensified drastically upon the corpse's slaughter, the pain causing a new wave of vertigo to manifold.
It hurt... It hurt so much.
Murderer!
Why? Why did this happen?
The Goddesses have forsaken us. We're all forsaken.
Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!
The voices in her head were growing louder and louder. Why wouldn't they stop? Why did they never stop?
Her vision flashed white and then all the sudden there was silence. Blessed, glorious silence. She could hear nothing.
Strong, nimble hands, secured her to a warm body. Link held her, the vibrations of his chest a comfort. She gazed up, her vision clearing and beheld his dark expression, severe with the urgency of their situation, but tempered with concern.
She tried to concentrate on what he was saying, his mouth moving too rapid for her to follow, but no words came out. All was silence. Something trickled along her neck, dribbling down to her collarbone. Link's eyes widened and he reached out to touch the red wetness from her ears and frowned.
He said something to Hadrian and then he was escorting her out through one of the archways, supporting her as she stumbled along.
"Wait," she called, the words manifesting from her mouth, yet unheard to her. "Anne. We have to get Anne."
Link didn't break stride. Instead he shouted over his shoulder once more to Hadrian, who nodded and headed back inside. Link sent her a reassuring smile and prompted her onward.
They burst out onto the terrace and without looking back, Link withdrew his clawshot and gathered her up in his free arm. Zelda knew what was going to happen next. His clawshots were his favourite toys and he utilized them to their full extent whenever an opportunity arose. She held onto him, arms wound around his neck and then they were shooting through the air.
They landed on a part of the inner battlements, a structure that might have been a hundred feet off the grand from how high up they were. From there they ran along the ramparts, the brightly lit moon their only guide. Zelda took one look back at her battered throne room, swarming with heedless ghosts shooting out into the sky, and scrambling soldiers chasing them off in military ranks.
Gradually the bleeding stopped. The further away they ran, the less her ears hurt and the steadier her footing. Eventually she could hear the muffled patter of her slippers hitting the stone and the heavier trod of Link's formal boots. Her hand was tightly encompassed in his and he looked back on occasion to make sure she was alright, his voice a low murmur.
Bit by bit the fog retreated and normal hearing resumed. She could make out the puff of their breaths as they sprinted, hear her own frantic heartbeat and Link's reassuring words.
"Almost there," he panted, turning sharply as the battlements cut to the right. "Steady on."
They arrived at one of the most unused towers in the castle and scurried through a wooden door that had been left ajar, Zelda suspected for this exact purpose. Inside was a circular room with an enormous grate that nearly took up the entire floor. Link made a sharp right and started down a spiraling flight of stairs that she knew led to the waterway beneath the castle.
"Glad they fixed these up," he muttered. "When I was here with Midna they were crumbling and in dire need of maintenance." He scoffed. "I suppose Zant didn't want to spare the expense."
He had outlined this as one of the potential routes they'd be taking out of the castle, but Zelda hadn't thought they'd actually need it. From what he had explained, it sounded like the most unpleasant option. Necessitating that they navigate the underground catacombs that the castle and half of the town was built upon. None of the other nobles knew about them. The only reason she was aware was because she possessed the many blueprints of the castle in its various stages of expansion throughout the years. They were hidden in a location that only she had access to. Zelda had never been down there, and she'd never wanted to.
They hurried down the stairs and at the bottom entered a side chamber, full of boxes and barrels, and nothing else.
"Why are we in a storage room?" she asked.
Link was busy shoving a large box in the middle of the room. He then hopped up and motioned for her to join him. Once she was close enough he lifted her by the arms to reside beside him, his head bent low else it would be touching the ceiling.
"The clawshots would be easier, but there's nothing to latch onto," he informed her, without any warning, he scooped her up and lifted her to sit on his shoulder.
"Link!" She ducked down in order to not hit the ceiling, but to her astonishment her upper body had gone through what she had previously observed to be solid stone.
"Reach over and grab the ledge. Don't worry, I'll help you up."
She did as he asked and with their combined efforts she was up and through and in a completely different chamber. She tried not to let her thoughts linger on how nice Link's hands had felt against her legs as he lifted her. Even with the fabrics of her dress in the way she'd been able to feel the warmth of them.
Link grabbed the edges of the opening and heaved himself upward. He shot to his feet and dusted himself off then looked her over.
"Still beautiful. Even if you're somewhat of a mess," he said, once more offering his hand, which she took without question. "A pity about the gown."
"Excuse me," she hissed, and he grinned then flicked her ear tip.
"Just testing your hearing," he responded easily. "For a while there I was rambling on about the most random things."
Her interest was piqued. "What sort of things?"
He led her along an arched tunnel and into a vast chamber with held up by many pillars. Blue lamps activated as they entered and glowed dimly from their holders. Zelda marveled at the sight before her. At the history this room must have held. How on earth had it ended up forgotten and hidden beneath her own castle?
Link aimed an arm equipped with the clawshot at the ceiling and fired three times. Three dead keese dropped to the ground and erupted in a cloud of purple smoke. Zelda looked on with repulsion. What else might be lurking down here hidden in the darkness?
"Blasted flying rats," he mumbled, stowing the clawshot away.
She swallowed at the thought of actual rats scuffling about them. Some she knew could grow as big as a medium sized dog. She huddled closer to Link, glancing around, wide eyes striving to penetrate the darkness.
Link climbed up an enormous fallen column that blocked their way before reaching down to assist her. He then grasped her around the waist to help guide her down the other side.
"Nothing interesting, and most of it I've already forgotten," he shrugged in answer to her earlier question. Was that webbing she spotting suspended in strands from that wall?
"Are there skulltulas down here?" she asked feeling her stomach roil. Today was turning out to be a nonstop disaster of epic proportions.
He hurried her along, not glancing once at the webs. "Not anymore."
But there had been, his words easily implied.
They carried on through a doorway and then down a set of stairs where they reached the aqueduct.
"I was wondering…." said Link, as they started along the stone walkway. "That phantom, the one that Ashei and I fought. You called him Sir Hector?"
Her chest squeezed tight with sorrow. "Yes," she said, throat closing up. "He was one of my finest knights. The first to challenge Zant and the first to fall before my throne. He was the champion… before you."
The water lapped at the rim of the walkway, swollen from the recent rain and flowing rapidly through the myriad of waterways and tunnels beneath the city. It was rank and moldy. Dew seeped from the ceiling and there was a heady smell of soil and rancid water.
Zelda shook off the sudden vehement recollection of falling into the moat. This water would be the same that collected there. Their primary water supply passing from Zora's Domain down the northern field to run beneath the castle where it would enter a system of filters for their usage and then rejoin at Lake Hylia.
Link was silent for a moment, absorbing the information.
"Was he close to you?"
She looked up at him, noting the firm set of his jaw. "Yes," she said carefully. "He was one of my personal bodyguards before he became the champion."
"I see," was Link's stagnant reply.
Zelda cocked her head. "Are you jealous?"
He frowned. "Only angry that he hadn't been good enough to protect you when he should have. If that had been me-"
"He was good enough," she defended vehemently. "He was the greatest in the realm at the time. And I will not have anyone tarnish his name like that. Not even you."
Link refused to look at her. His features grim under the blue lamp light. "I never told you this, but I had been seriously considering signing up to become a soldier at one point. And I think maybe if I had, I'd have been able to do something during the first attack. I'd have been properly trained and ready. Maybe the Triforce would have activated and the entire Invasion could have been prevented."
So he was blaming himself. What nonsense.
"Had you really been considering it?" she asked. "You know, we might have met earlier if you had."
He smiled then as an image took hold. "Yeah. I would have started as a blundering trainee, like those rookies I have to deal with everyday. Well, not anymore. I was only a teaching temporarily. I think Captain Martin wanted to punish me for kicks."
"Your natural talent would have seen you rise through the ranks swiftly," Zelda continued the fantasy. "And I'd see you on patrols in the castle."
Link laughed. "Yes, I'd catch you sneaking cake from the kitchens, my gluttonous queen."
"That only happened once. And it was delicious cake. Well worthwhile."
He shook his head. He suddenly became quiet. "I'd have saved you from Zant when he first attacked. And then we would have left the castle together to help Midna."
It was a beautiful fantasy, but sad just the same. "I would not have come with you. I'd never leave my people to suffer alone."
"I know you wouldn't."
The water flowed fast as it fell down an incline. Link helped her over a gap and held her steady as she slipped. They walked beneath a grate and continued on.
"He was my father's age," she said out of the blue, knowing that he was still wondering about it. "Beyond my consideration for courtship."
"Oh."
He ducked his head and Zelda smirked.
They came upon another tunnel, this one leading upward. He hoisted her in before following. Zelda irately brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. She wouldn't have had half as much trouble navigating the catacombs had she not been wearing a full gown. There were not too many layers to it, but it was still cumbersome to maneuver in. She had only barely managed to fight off the ghosts while donning such a thing. Her regular dresses would have been much more suited for this, having been designed for mobility. They were light and not as constraining in the chest area.
"Watch your head," said Link, stooping as he carried on forward. "The ceiling's low here."
Zelda felt trepidation at the void of darkness before them. The glow from the lanterns didn't penetrate here. She had to place her full confidence that Link knew what they were heading into. She didn't much care for dark enclosed spaces.
"I bet your court wasn't expecting that sort of party crash."
Zelda blinked at the random remark before she realized he was trying to alleviate her mind from the enclosing darkness around them. The way had become more sloped the further upward they trod, the walls ever so slightly narrower.
"I daresay they hadn't," she responded. "At least they can't claim that I'm mad anymore."
"No they definitely can't," he said with a cheerful note. "Not unless they want to admit that we're all insane."
"I rather think you're insane," she accused. "Were all your battles during the Twilight Invasion so horrifying? You didn't even waver for a moment. You ran straight up to Sir Hector and fought gallantly against him. Didn't it frighten you at all?"
She imagined she could see him shrugging nonchalantly. "After being stuck in a flooded enclosure with a titan of a flesh eating worm out for your meat, things rarely do faze you."
The very description caused her to shudder. Surely the novels did not do him justice.
"You were very brave," he said after a while. "Taking charge like that while facing those ghosts. I heard you from across the room. Like a true commander."
His praise caused a flush of pleasure to swell in her. "I am the queen, and believe it or not, I know how to direct an army. I can certainly take charge of a few knights. I just hope everyone's alright. I worry about leaving them like this. And Anne shouldn't have even been there. She should have left with the others. She's frightened to death of anything dangerous, yet she fought on courageously."
"The ghosts scattered once the phantom was slain. I'm sure they're fine," Link replied confidently.
Zelda sighed. "I should have expected something like this," she whispered. "The hexer will have been on high alert as soon as they learned that a sheikah had entered the castle. Undoubtedly they see Impaz as a threat, and are retaliating by speeding everything along. I would imagine that the hexer would gain knowledge of our progress through the little boy, or whatever other spirits they're manipulating to spy on us. As soon as they learned that we knew of the focal point they triggered what was to be the final phase."
The moment of her death. A death that her former champion would have been forced to carry out. He hadn't been saying one word back there. He had been saying two. Dnnnn dieeeee. 'Don't die'. He had been fighting against the curse even as it took hold of his reanimated spirit.
"And they failed," said Link, a touch sharpish. "There was no fatal blow. The hexer is bound to be furious."
"Precisely," she agreed. "They may have to use another spirit, but they will try again. Or, if we're fortunate, go themselves to stop us from reaching the focal point."
"Out of all your brilliant deductions, have you been able to figure out who our esteemed culprit is?"
"No," she admitted very reluctantly, ashamed with the little progress made unto the hexer's identity. "But I'm certain there are clues that we haven't yet realized. Something that must connect it all. I doubt whoever the hexer is would content themselves to monitor their curse from afar. No, they'd watch from the sidelines. Close but without drawing attention to themselves. Never suspicious."
Link gave an impressed whistle. "Think like the enemy, eh? You're surprisingly good at it."
Zelda slipped and skidded back a few inches before recovering, privately cursing her less than ideal footwear. Link paused to ensure she was alright then continued on.
"When you're the queen, everyone is your enemy unless proven otherwise," said Zelda.
"Well then," Link said playfully. "I do hope my history of reckless, but honorable, proclivities to saving damsels and kingdoms and the like has proven sufficient reason for trust."
She couldn't help but smile at him. "Indeed it has."
The floor leveled out, and Link stopped suddenly before her.
"There's a ladder here. It's not too tall so it won't hold us both. Wait a moment while I get the door open."
He then began to climb. Zelda waited as he asked. Now that they were no longer moving the cold seeped through the layers of her gown and she hugged herself to stave it off.
"Here it is," he said. There was the sound of fumbling as Link felt around for something, likely a handle or a switch. A grating click soon followed, proceeded by the gyrating of the tumblers of a lock. "There we go."
An orifice opened up above them and they emerged in a dimly lit drawing room. Link closed the hatch as Zelda looked around her.
Moonlight streamed through a locked window, causing a desk and its various curiosities to cast long shadows across the room. There was no sign of anyone present. No creak from the woodwork nor shifting of a floorboard. Zelda felt safe in their solitude. They had traveled far too long to have resurfaced anywhere near the castle. They had to be further in the city in someone's house. She hoped they weren't intruding.
"Where… are we?" She peered out the window and saw a small green lawn leading off to a vacant alleyway.
Link appropriated a lantern from the desk and lit it. "Jovani's place. It has a tunnel that leads straight to the castle. It must have been built a long time ago for royals to escape during a siege. You can reach Telma's from an aperture over there." He pointed at a seemingly innocent portrait of a man with a curling mustache.
"The jolly sod's probably off donating millions to some poor village in Lanayru province." Link shook his head fondly. "Don't worry. I wrote him a letter ahead of time letting him know we'd be doing a little break in for a quick minute. It will probably reach him in the next four days."
He turned and dashed for the front door before Zelda could fully digest what he'd said.
"In four days? Link!" she hissed at him, suddenly leery of touching anything. "That hardly makes it better. We can't just barge into his home. Oh!"
She was engulfed suddenly in a wad of grey fabric. He'd slung a traveller's cloak around her then fussed about straightening it out and making certain she was fully covered. Zelda threw the overly large hood off her head and glared at him.
Link offered only an impish grin.
"When we return to the castle we're going to have a serious discussion on ethics," she seethed.
Link gathered her hood and pulled it over her head, just short of covering her eyes.
"I look forward to it."
With Zelda sufficiently disguised they set off into the dark of Hyrule's lonely streets. Although celebrations had been cut short at the castle, here in Castle Town they were still in full swing. The square was brimming with revelers, people dancing, drinking, children running with sparklers in hand, and lovers kissing under garlands of wisteria and hyacinth. Ignorant of the dreadful calamity that had befallen the masquerade.
A few inebriated individuals made their way through the streets, wandering aimlessly in search of more liquor. Even fewer meandered by on their way home. No one was willing to end the festivities early, and it worked to their advantage as Link and Zelda slipped by undetected. No one suspecting that their queen and her greatest warrior were among them that night.
If these were not extraordinary circumstances, Zelda could have found roaming about the city undercover rather exciting. She snuck out to Telma's a few times whenever Link was in town, but it had always been straight there and straight back home. She'd never had the opportunity to explore without her accompanied guards and everyone gawking at her. As things stood, she was more anxious to finally arrive at their destination. The longer they were out in the open, the more she feared the ghost boy would find them. It would be an added complication she wasn't in any disposition to deal with.
They delved further away from the castle until they were nearing the outer walls of the city. At last Link pulled them up to a doorway of a quaint two story townhouse. One of the safe houses he'd mentioned. At least this place she knew was owned by Link, under Rusl's name. He let them inside and bolted the door behind them. He then took her cloak and ushered her upstairs.
They were both tired and disheveled. Zelda agonized over her ruined dress but made no comment about it. With the amount of filth and blood coating it, it would take a remarkably talented seamstress with considerable control of their magic to fix it up.
"You should rest," said Link, lighting a few lamps to brighten up the abode. "Impaz had this place warded so the ghosts won't bother us. And here."
Zelda looked down at the simple length of golden string, knotted and coiled in patterns of astounding creativity. One of Impaz' charms. Freshly made and brimming with concealment magic. She accepted it and deftly wound it around her wrist.
"They're more powerful than the others," said Link. "They should keep the ghosts away from us for a few days. Enough to make some headway before we're pursued."
"Thank you." She touched delicate fingers to the knots and swirls. "So this is the safe house?"
It wouldn't hurt to be absolutely sure. She'd known of Link's habit of invading other people's properties during his time as hero, despite the necessity of it sometimes. She hadn't condoned it then and she certainly wasn't going to condone it now.
It was small, but cozy, and it made her feel big in comparison. Zelda was used to the towering ceilings and wide open rooms of the castle and the assortment of mansions and temples she'd visited. Rarely did she get to visit what constituted as a commoner's dwelling.
Link mused his hair a bit to return it to its natural ruggedness. The way she honestly preferred it.
"One of three. Shad and Ashei will be staying at another. The last is occupied by Hadrian and Justin."
Zelda nodded then raised her hand to stifle a yawn. She blinked a few tears of exhaustion from her eyes and found Link smiling at her with a warm gaze.
"There's a room upstairs you can rest in," said Link already moving to show her. "Ashei brought by your travel gear earlier, so there should be a change of clothes and whatever else you need. I'll wake you at dawn before the gates open."
Gratefully, Zelda followed him up the stairs and entered a single room with two narrow beds against opposite walls. It was small and bare and exactly everything she desired at the moment. She was further delighted upon discovering that the bathroom further along the hall possessed a full bodied tub.
In an instant she snatched her pack from the floor, intending to have a good long soak. She wanted to wash away the filth from the catacombs and the blood from her ears, which had crusted uncomfortably along the sides of her neck.
She hesitated once at the door. With flustered coyness she looked over at Link, who arched an eyebrow.
"Would you be so kind as to assist me?"
She observed how Link flushed a bright red then averted his eyes, suddenly too shy to look at her.
"Ah, well," he stammered out, looking anywhere but at her. "Seriously, woman. Do you not know how to pace yourself?"
Zelda laughed through her own embarrassment as she realized what Link had taken her words to imply.
"I meant to undo my dress," she said, making a half-hearted effort to reach back for her stays. "Believe it or not, I did not get into this thing on my own."
Link ducked his head, drawing a hand down his face before cursing to himself and stalking up to her.
She felt the tugs and pulls as his nimble fingers got to work, clumsily undoing her gown from the back.
Zelda waited with amusement as he slowly unfastened her, cursing quietly all the while. He took a step back when he was done and Zelda held the front of the gown to her to keep it from slipping off.
"Does a queen even know how to bathe herself?" he asked with honest curiosity. "Don't you need at least eight or so maids to help you?"
She whirled around. "Are you offering?"
He gazed at her sidelong, a surreptitious smile set about his lips. "Maybe."
One hand holding her gown up, she used the other to grasp the edge of the door.
"Yes, Link. I know how to wash myself."
With that she shut the door, blocking out his amused visage.
"Don't fall asleep in there or I'll have to come get you out."
That, Zelda thought, letting her dress fall to the floor, might be something she wouldn't terribly mind.
It was a few hours later when Zelda stirred from her restful slumber. She blinked in bafflement for a moment at the unfamiliar surroundings, before remembering where she was and why. She stretched and turned over, her eyes fluttering shut. Before she shot right back up.
What time was it? And where was Link? The bed across from her was empty, blankets untouched and neatly arranged. At the foot of the bed their packs and travel pouches lay, packed with magically shrunken items, and ready for them to depart.
There was a shuffling noise coming from beyond the room.
Sleep addled and wielding questionable judgement skills, she rose from her bed and staggered out into the hall in search of her wayward knight. A slit of light shone from a gap in the door of the next room over.
Without thought, she grasped the handle and eased it halfway open before her entire being went rigid, and all remnants of sleep was wiped away.
Oh…. my….
My my my
Blood surged to her face and all breathing ceased in light of what she beheld before her.
Dripping with rivulets of water trailing down a well-defined muscular back, Link rose from the tub of his steaming bath, and Zelda's increasingly widening eyes were helplessly arrested by the sight. Broad torso led to narrow hips then down to a pair of thickly corded thighs. Her gaze lingered on the sculpted curve of his rear and breathing returned to her in a breathy gasp.
She had seen nude male bodies before, most of them depicted in anatomy texts or paintings, and that one time a mortified noble had been chased out of the ladies section of the bathhouse when he'd accidentally wandered into the wrong area – that had been a laugh, although she did feel bad for him. But this was Link's nakedness she was admiring. His back, his saturated locks of golden-brown, his olive toned skin from hours of long training in the sun.
At the sound of her gasp, Link whirled around in the most inopportune maneuver. Zelda threw her hands over her eyes, but it was too late. She had seen all of him.
"Er - Zelda?"
She could hear the surprise and slight embarrassment in his voice. How awful he must think of her.
"I'm sorry!" she cried, pressing into door jamb. "You weren't there when I awoke, and then I heard some noise but I forgot this was the bathroom…"
"Its fine," he consoled her, probably realizing that she was just as mortified as he was.
There was the slosh of water as he moved about then the slap of wet feet on tiles, followed by the woosh of fabric as he grabbed a towel.
"Was there something you needed?"
You, her brain instinctively supplied.
"No," she instead replied, mentally deriding her inappropriate thoughts, and turned away to afford him his privacy, as she should have done the instant she'd glimpsed his lack of attire. "I'm sorry. I'll leave you to get dressed."
She rushed to the bedroom and laid down despite no longer being tired. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. From what she'd gleaned outside daylight was a few hours away. Who even took a bath so late at night? She'd heard of people keeping odd hours, but it must have been, what? Four in the morning? Five? Really, this entire situation was his own fault.
Still, it did nothing to prevent her from flopping over and pretending to sleep anyways as Link entered the room a moment later.
"A bit childish, isn't it? Feigning sleep."
How could he be so calm about this?
Zelda peeked over and glared at him for ousting her ruse, then sat up. She'd only been trying to divert the awkwardness she just knew was going to ensue.
He took a seat on the edge of his bed, towel slung around his neck. He hadn't fully dried himself when he'd put on his clothes and his shirt clung in part to his chest, creating a rather alluring picture.
"You can relax," he said then proceeded to rub the moisture from his hair with the damp towel. "It's not a big deal."
"If we were at the castle and something like this had happened-"
"Are you going to tell anyone?" he said. "Going to boast to the court ladies about how you ogled the Hero of Twilight as he was bathing?"
How audacious that would be. She imagined many women would be extremely jealous of her.
She frowned. "Certainly not. And I did not ogle."
He gave her a knowing look.
"Don't worry," he said, and Zelda recognized the hint of mischief in his voice. "I've seen you in your nightgown enough times that we can consider us even."
She sat on her knees, the blankets strewn around her. "It's a bit different. I at least was covered up."
Link gave her a fleeting look over. At present she wore a loose shirt and shorts, as nightgowns were not the least bit ideal for traveling and so none had been packed. Despite her garb, she felt exposed under his scrutiny.
He raised his eyes to meet hers. "Barely."
She threw her pillow at him and he laughed allowing it smack into his face.
"You're impossible." She flopped down on the mattress and gathered the blankets around her to ward off the night's chill.
She smiled secretly to herself. This was the man she someday hoped to wed. In the future he'd see her body in its entirety, and she too would be able to look upon him fully without the instinctive flush of shame. And from the sample of him she'd glimpsed today, she knew he would not disappoint.
"Ashei stopped by an hour ago," he said on a more serious note. "She came straight from the castle."
Zelda once again shot up and flung the blankets down. "Is everyone alright? What about Sir Anthony? Dame Lucille? Anne?"
Please, please, let no one be mortally wounded.
He frowned, a slight drawing down of his eyebrows. "There were no casualties. But they found that everyone who had been touched while the ghosts were immaterialized has become gravely ill. Impaz is working on a potion for them, but it may only dampen the symptoms. She say's they've acquired part of the curse."
A bitter feeling welled within her. "So the only way to cure them is for us to succeed," she said quietly to herself. "This curse is just an accumulation of problems. If only I had my magic then I could purify them in an instant."
No one else in all of Hyrule, barring the light spirits, possessed light magic. It was rarer than shadow magic, and one of the reasons the monarchy was as revered as it was.
Who could hate her with such a passion as to cause all of this? What a coward to fear facing her head on. To attack her from afar, slowly wearing her down, playing the long game. Whoever it was, there'd be no mercy shown to them. Not even she would be able to prevent their imminent fate by executioner's blade. Her council would make sure of it.
Yes, there was no question about it. She would find the culprit and she would defeat them herself.
"Hey. Raleigh and Captain Martin are taking care of things," Link said softly, setting the towel down at the end of the bed. "Our only focus is on destroying the source and defeating the hexer."
Her insides coiled in a dreadful knot. Logically she knew it was the most efficient course, yet her emotions warred within her. She hated this feeling of helplessness. Hated that thousands of ghosts, poor innocents, had been forced to haunt her, hated the dark worms writhing beneath her skin, hated all of this. She felt filthy beyond measure for being the indirect cause of everything.
Link's soothing voice permeated her thoughts. "Will you be able to get back to sleep?"
She glanced at him. "I don't think so." She shifted so that she hugged her knees to her cheek, trying not to think of anything else but how calming his eyes appeared, their ocean blue radiating peace and warmth. "What about you? Have you been awake the entire night?"
He shrugged as if his rest was inconsequential. "I dozed for a bit. I'm used to keeping awake for long hours."
She knew well of his incessant stamina. As a spirit hosted within Midna's body, she been privy to the long days endured in constant travel, running from place to place, providing for her people and accomplishing his quest all at once. And then once it had been over and Midna returned to her world, he had refused to retire to a life of peace. Warrior's blood flowed within him, the thirst for battle a constant he could not ignore. And so he'd come under her employ, to direct that energy into continuing to help her country.
She mentally adapted the vacation she had planned for after their current quest. Mainly to encompass just her and Link, while prohibiting anyone else from tagging along. She'd provide the means for the others to venture to some other destination far away. She and Link deserved their alone time.
From her periphery she noted Link's unwavering gaze fixed upon her. It made her feel self-conscious.
"What?" she asked. "What is it?"
His eyes were tender as they observed her. "You're beautiful."
She had not been expecting that. The sincerity in his voice made her heart melt. How many times had she heard those same words spoken to her from the countless people in her realm, and from beyond her realm. How much more meaningful those words had become, coming from him.
"And you're quite handsome," she countered truthfully.
There was no way he couldn't be aware of his own good looks. No one as dashingly attractive as him left her court without breaking at least a dozen disappointed hearts. And with the addition of his personal charm, whether roguish or silent, no woman would survive.
He rose from the bed and approached her until he was towering above her. Something within her clenched, a warmth bubbling in her center and trailing all along her body. With him so near, and her in her nightclothes, totally alone, far from the castle and everyone in it, she couldn't stop images running through her mind. Intimate things she'd only ever read about and desired to learn first hand, to experience for herself with him.
Why not now. Now that they were courting, their feelings laid bare, and nothing stopping them. She loved him and she wanted him. His soul, his body. Hers.
Her chin was lightly grasped between his finger and thumb and he tilted her head upward. Her vision glazed as her eyes became hooded in what she hoped was a sultry look, her lips parting ever so slightly.
He pressed a kiss to her lips, chaste and quick, and pulled away pleased with himself.
"There, those pitiful voices can't react in time to thwart a quick peck." And to support his theory, he planted another kiss for good measure.
"Or," Zelda refuted, then smiled as he stole another three kisses in succession. "The charms in combination to Impaz wards have effectively done their job and suppressed them enough so they can't react."
"Do you hear them now?" He sat alongside her, moving his mouth to press butterfly kisses over her cheeks and jaw, cradling the curve of her face in his palm. "My darling, Zelda."
She had to focus hard to not forget the question.
"They're always there." Like an incessant buzz in the background of her thoughts. "Right now, they are indiscernible whispers."
His calloused fingers brushed the tip of her left ear and caressed downward along the shell. He sighed despondently and pulled back.
"I can't risk it," he grit out as though pained. "I don't like seeing you hurt. You were deaf back there, Zelda."
Blasted ghosts. Blasted curse. Blasted hexer!
"Only for a little while," she said, but had to concede.
Each time they screamed at her or raised their voices to deafening proportions her ears were filled with excruciating pain. How many times had they made her bleed? If they could affect her like that she might permanently lose her hearing someday.
"But," he said, eyes twinkling. "One last one."
And a final kiss landed on her mouth.
Zelda could get used to his kisses.
"Now my gorgeous beauty, you need to sleep. We still have a few more hours before we leave."
They rendezvoused at the southern gate at the first light of dawn, just in time for the opening of the gates and before any of the late night revelers had risen from their beds. Lord Raleigh would have come to see them off if he didn't need to contend with the mayhem Zelda's disappearance would undoubtedly cause. The last any of the nobility had seen of her she was trapped in the throne room along with a contingent of knights. Everyone would be anxious to know the whereabouts of Hyrule's ruler, and Raleigh was to mitigate their inquiries enough so that the nobles and her council wouldn't worry, yet while also raising suspicions for the caster. Let them know that their focal point was under threat. Let them come to protect it.
Shad was waiting with the horses just beyond the gate. Zelda was glad to see that the events of the previous night hadn't deterred him in the slightest. His eyes were sullen, and he was whiter than usual, but there was firm resolve in his poise. Anger and a touch of annoyance taking precedence over fear.
Ashei and Justin were with him. Ashei spoke quietly with Shad, touching him often, her affection shown in subtle gestures.
Hadrian was speaking with the guards attending the gates. He looked up as Link and Zelda approached and nodded to the both of them. It took him some restraint not to instinctively bow to her.
Zelda drew her hood to better cover her face and stayed behind Link. Her gown had been stashed away at the safe house and was replaced with her riding attire. Expensive, as were all her things, but casual enough to go unnoticed. She had foregone her spaulders for once, which would have been a dead giveaway to her identity, and covered herself in a full traveling cloak.
The guards gave her a cursory glance before snapping to attention at the arrival of the general.
Link fanned a dismissive hand at them. "At ease."
Zelda scanned the area, searching for any signs of the little boy or any other ghosts. Idly she touched the charm around her wrist. If they were lucky, maybe they'd destroy the focal point before any of the ghosts sensed their departure. How ideal that outcome would be. But from personal experience she knew it was only hopeful wishing. The best scenario never happened, at least when it came to her life.
Link and Hadrian finished speaking with the guards and they all headed over to their respective horses. She had chosen a different mount for this occasion, since Lamrei as a safurian was too recognizable. They tied their packs to the saddles. Zelda kept her pouch with all the vital necessities fastened to the side of her hip, her Sheikah dagger strapped to a baldric across her back. Her bow and quiver of arrows had been shrunk and secured in her pouch, along with various potions, a few deku nuts and some emergency rations. They didn't know how long they'd be gone and so wanted to be prepared.
Once they were all astride their mounts they kicked off and started on their journey. They spoke very little as they travelled along the beaten road, and once out on the field there was no longer any opportunity for chatter as they spurred their horses into a canter then a fast gallop. Zelda's hood whipped off her head. She had foregone her regular hairstyle for an elegantly coiffed circle of braids, practical for adventuring.
Alongside the understandable foreboding, she could feel that excitement rising within her, even as she kept glancing back to ensure no phantom riders were in pursuit. They were off, and the thrill of the speed at which they burned the ground sent a thrill through her system. They were flying over the sweeping hills of Hyrule's emerald grasslands, an endless horizon before them. The faint glow of the ghost lamp harnessed at the horn of her saddle marking their direction.
What a sight they must have made riding hell for leather down the road to Faron. This feeling had been what she'd desired all those long days ago trapped during the Invasion. To play an active part in saving her country. To refute her delegated role as prisoner and bystander. Knowing that she was a major component in the events concerning her kingdom.
She would not fail.
They traveled straight on for hours, altering their pace at intervals to allow the horses to rest before sending them into full gallop once more. They passed a few early morning travelers and farmers out tending their fields. They stuck to the main road, avoiding the intersections leading off into cities and small villages.
Zelda admired the beauty of the countryside, lush and green with the vivacity of springtime. They stopped once for a brief lunch and then later for dinner. A full day they spent riding until eventually more and more trees were interspersed in the fields, thickening, until at last they'd arrived at the woods.
Faded sunlight dappled the ground through the latticework of branches. The smell of pine, beech, oak, deku, and gasha trees filled her senses, creaking and groaning in the wind. High above them a swarm of bees fluttered around a hive brimming with honey and larvae. Herons waded out into a small pond filled with reeds and lily pads. A blanket of lichen and moss muffled the horses' steps as they slowed to a stable trot.
Even though the daylight was waning and the shadows of the forest grew longer, Link did not stop. He set them on an established route through the woods, his ears perked and listening.
Zelda consulted the ghost lamp and saw that they'd strayed from their course. Link was leading them right, while the soul in the lantern was banging against the left pane.
"Link," she called out.
"I know," he replied and looked toward the others. "There's something I have to do first."
He hadn't warned her about this part of the plan. From the look of the rest of their group none of them had been forewarned of this little detour.
Could it be…? But certainly since he had the Sheikah dagger he wouldn't need it. But their location and everything else indicated he was going to retrieve the Master Sword.
Or they could be simply visiting one of the light spirit springs. They were very close to where Faron resided. She had paid her respects to Faron many months ago, as she did every year, but it was always a pleasure to visit whenever she was able. Perhaps they could stop by Ordona as well.
The further they ventured the more she was certain of that that was Link's intended destination, although she still pondered the why of it.
They arrived at a small clearing with a rickety wooden structure. Zelda smiled as a young man jumped up from his seat at the fire pit to welcome them.
"Link! I haven't seen you around here for months."
"Coro," Link said in greeting, sliding off of Epona.
They all followed his lead and dismounted.
"Coro has generously offered us a place to bed down for the night," Link announced, removing his pack from Epona's saddle.
They all looked at the wooden hut, hardly the most structurally sound edifice in the country, but no one was too eager to complain. Personally Zelda had been looking forward to sleeping under the stars, but that sort of vulnerability might not be the best thing for them currently.
"Hey, Coro," Ashei said in a brusque familiar manner.
Coro smiled widely. "Ashei, the knight from the frozen north. Are you here to visit Ordon?"
"Not this time, yeah," she replied, patting her horse.
"On another hunt then?" he said. "What it must be like to live a life with so much excitement. But hey, I should warn you if you're going further into the woods to be careful. Travelers have mentioned weird things going on. Weirder than normal that is. Some people have even gone missing."
Link's head shot up. "Missing? Around here?"
"Why were we not informed of this before?" demanded Ashei, and Coro shrank in the face of her fury.
"W-well, people disappear into the forest all the time," he said cautiously. "It a regional matter, not something one reports to the capital about. Especially with everything the queen has had to deal with. But it's been happening more often lately."
"Does mayor Bo know about it?" urged Link. "Why hasn't he mentioned it to me. Has anyone from Ordon gone missing."
Zelda dearly hoped not. The Ordonians were more in tune with the woodland than most. If they were to disappear it would not be a simple matter of getting lost. They'd have been taken.
She looked upon the ghost lamp, the flame burning brightly.
"Oh no, it doesn't happen around here," said Coro, shaking his head and unsettling the tiny birds nested there. "We're in a good spot. The things I'm talking about come from far to the east. Miles away from here. Somewhere by a lake, I think. The trees grow twisted there, and the lake water is all murky. Not good for fishing, so I've heard."
Apprehensive glances were exchanged all around. Surreptitiously they all looked to the ghost lamp where the blue flame was pushing eastward. Mysterious disappearances would fit right in with what they knew of the curse.
Link released a tense, relief-filled breath and nodded. He patted Coro on the shoulder.
"Thanks for the warning," he said. "We'll take it into consideration."
Coro beamed at him. "Anytime. Now did you want me to show your friends around the house? It's not much, but at least it will fit everyone."
"That would be appreciated," said Link. "You lot get settled in. The woods are too dense from here on out so I'm taking the horses to someone who can care for them while we're gone."
Ashei huffed, hands on her hips. "Oh yeah. She's going to love this."
Hadrian looked after her as Ashei and Shad removed their packs from their horses and followed Coro inside the house to view their accommodations.
"Who's she?" he asked, without any reply given. "Who is Ashei talking about?"
Ashei was too busy surveying the house for weak spots, while Shad had dived his nose in another one of his books.
"Don't ask me," said Sir Justin, shouldering his bag as Hadrian looked to him. "I've never been to the Faron province before."
In the meantime, Zelda gathered her pack and the ghost lamp, which she secured to the pouch on her hip, and took the reigns of three of the horses, leaving Link with three of his own.
"I'd like to come with you," she said.
He didn't seem at all surprised by this. "Alright."
Together they walked past the dwelling into a wooded tunnel. Link had to slay a few deku babas before they exited into yet another clearing, this one with a series of clear blue waterfalls splashing into a warm spring.
Zelda released the horses to let them drink then stood at the edge of the spring with her hands clasped together.
She felt Faron's presence as the light spirit stirred but predictably didn't manifest. She sent a quick prayer for everyone's safety and guidance for their journey before stepping back.
"Shall we continue on?" she asked and was surprised when Link shook his head.
"This is fine," he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the trunk of an oak tree. "We're just waiting for someone."
"That's a change. It seems like I'm always the one waiting for you."
The musical voice had originated from high in the same tree that Link had his back to. Without looking up, he smiled in the carefree manner of his childhood.
"Hello to you too, Ilia."
A young woman was crouched on a thick limb, barefooted and dressed in the style of an Ordonian. Ilia easily swung down from the branch and alighted on the turf between them. She faced Zelda, expression joyous.
"Link didn't say that you'd be here too," she said, sending Link a glare which caused him to look away sheepishly. Ilia smiled and turned back to her. "Hello, your majesty."