Back at the castle, Linkette had returned to the castle after her forced vacation due to her fainting spell. Fortunately she'd finally started to have her emotions mellow out and anger albeit when she realized she was being a bit selfish and irresponsible. She was given the usual polite greetings to the staff, but a few maids couldn't hold their tongues and whispered to the others about Zelo's condition, how he hadn't stepped out of his room today and what it could mean. Linkette felt the guilt eat at her a bit and started heading towards his room to apologize, trying to ignore the head maid saying it wasn't proper for a lady to go into a man's room. Linkette just shook her head, given that she was already pregnant, and continued on, boldly walking past the guards and entering Zelo's room.
As the maids said, he was just laying there still in his pajamas, staring at nothing and looking like his soul was sucked out of him. Linkette walked up to him, praying this didn't end badly. She lightly tapped him, holding out a premade apology note.
"Huh?" He moved enough to claim the note, sat up a little and started reading it. It was an apology and stated she understood why he did what he did to keep her and the babies safe, even if she didn't agree with it, and explained how she was just feeling trapped after getting a taste of freedom, and while she was upset with him, she still loved him with all her heart. Some shine of life returned to his eyes on reading the last line and he looked up at her. "And I hope you find it in yourself to forgive me for hurting you so. That is the last thing I would ever want to do to you, yet...I failed in that regard."
Linkette accepted his apology, climbing into bed to sit beside him and giving him a gentle kiss to show she forgave him. He hugged and kissed her back and then just held her. She held him back, glad they made up. They ended up just chilling out in bed for a while, snuggling. Needless to say rumors started going around as to what the still unwed royal couple was up to.
"Linkette...do you still want to marry me?" Zelo asked after some time just being thankful she has a big heart.
Linkette nodded yes.
"Then we should try and...y-you know, try and know each other. It was the intended goal but...life. Destiny. The journey. Hotsprings…"
Linkette looked around, found paper and a pen, and wrote out a question, asking what did he want to know about her. She figured she knew a lot about him.
"Ah, well...I suppose it would be best to go with the basics. Favorite food?"
'The strawberries dipped in chocolate the maids give me for snacks.'
Zelo couldn't help but chuckle at how cute the answer was and made a mental note to have them served at the wedding. "Aside from Epona, what is your favorite animal?"
'Wolves, though I've never seen one.'
"They tend to keep to themselves in the forest," he paused to think of his next question, "favorite...color?"
'Forest Green,'
"Really? The maids stick you in blue so often, I thought…they did that because of me," he groaned a bit and muttered an apology.
'It's fine. I don't mind blue so much.'
"Still, I will see to it that you get some dresses in your preferred color," he paused again as he tried to think of another question, "Ahh...favorite musical instrument? And music."
'Ocarina and music played with woodwind instruments,'
He nodded and made another mental note to have both at the wedding. "It is rather...late to ask this, but do you have any hopes and dreams for yourself?"
'I wanted to be a shieldmaiden like my mother when I was younger, but I've long since abandoned that dream.'
"How come? It...was it because of...m-me?"
'It was because I was to become Queen, not because of you. Only females born into the royal family can be warrior queens.'
"I...see…" He made yet another note to have that changed up.
'Anything else?'
"Well, uh…"
The rest of the morning was spent just getting to know each other, well into lunch time when their stomachs reminded them both that they needed food. It didn't stop the bonding experience, it just made it awkward for her responses between bites. They ended up spending the whole day in bed together, eventually Linkette dowsing off for her afternoon nap. Zelo hugged her close, quietly thanked her for the second chance and ended up joining her. They ended up not waking up till after supper, the servants quick to bring it when called. It was also noticed the maids had brought up night clothes for Linkette, figuring she was spending the night.
"Do you...wish to spend the night together?"
Linkette was scarlet all over when she nodded 'yes.' Well I can't get more pregnant.
He nodded and gave her privacy to change. Linkette went to do so, blushing as it appeared the maids assumed she wanted to seduce the prince, given the revealing blue nightie she was in. Now it was Zelo's turn to blush on seeing her (lack of) pajamas and stammered if she'd want something else to wear instead. Linkette just shrugged to show she was fine with the outfit. He nodded slowly and got his own night clothes on as well, crawling into bed and waited for her to join. Linkette crawled in beside him, pondering what would happen next. He inched a little closer and held her close with a soft "Goodnight" and kiss on the cheek. Linkette smiled, snuggling close as well, going to give him a proper goodnight kiss instead, forgetting how addictive those were. He seemed to have somewhat forgotten too as he returned her affections but somehow managed to keep it chaste. She leaned in for another one, figuring it wouldn't hurt anything. He also figured just one more wouldn't hurt...Somehow just one more turned into more heated kisses continuing as clothes ended up removed as the couple found themselves entangled together, making love as they reconnected. Needless to say that they ended up sleeping in the next day. A servant knocked loudly on the bedroom door to inform them that a bath was ready as well as outfits for the day picked out for when they decided to get out of bed. Zelo mumbled a thank you and just went back to sleep. Linkette didn't even rouse, snuggling into her warm pillow more. She then remembered said warm pillow was her prince. Who was naked next to her, with herself being naked as well. She was blushing scarlet for a few minutes before deciding to take advantage of this opportunity to appreciate the sight of his muscles and how his body was developed...Now she was pondering if he'd be up for a morning round and started pestering him.
"Yeah?" he croaked out as he tried to blink the sleepy feeling from his eyes with no avail. Linkette realized this so settled for just giving him a quick good morning kiss so that he remembered she was there. He did blush a little as he held her close and wished her good morning despite nodding off.
Linkette got a playful smile on her face, laying a kiss on his collarbone, much like he did to her last night, working on getting him to wake up more. While it took awhile for his brain to catch up to the sensation, his body certainly reacted to it much faster. Linkette noticed, and decided to give him a really good wake up as she carefully climbed on top of him, helping him slide in. It seemed her plan worked a bit as his body responded more. Linkette started doing her best to move just right to work on getting them both to climax. That finally got his attention and he worked on helping her with stimulating the spots he knows she loves. Soon both finished the round, panting heavily. Linkette just prayed the bath was still warm. The couple grabbed their robes once they'd recovered and went to the bathing room to check and see. Zelo took a deep breath, checked the water and uses some Din's magic to work on warming it up for them. Once the bath was warm again both washed up, Linkette loving the feeling of soaking in the warm bath, as it helped her achy body. Zelo finished first, giving her a kiss and telling her to enjoy herself.
Eventually Linkette did leave the bath, drying off and slipping on a dressing gown. A maid was already waiting to help her into a blue dress, breakfast waiting nearby at the table. The maid informed her that aside from the meeting finalizing wedding plans, and being fitted into the wedding dress, there wasn't much on Linkette's agenda today. Linkette gave a sigh of relief at that, admittedly tired from her exploits last night and this morning. Once dolled up and having ate her fill of breakfast, which was a lot as her appetite had returned, she decided to head towards the boring meeting. She could feel herself blushing as the servants mentioned her and the prince's sleepover along with the fact that she was already with child. She just put on a cheerful smile, figuring it didn't matter as it was true. She entered the meeting and took her seat by Zelo. He actually smiled at her today as everyone filed in and business began. Plans were finalized on budgeting for the repairs of the Town and allocating funds to help any farmers and ranchers who had their buildings and produce and animals damaged by the monster attack. The lead advisor also announced that they should be able to hold the wedding in three weeks time, which would give the entire kingdom something to look forward to and motivation to finish up the clean up efforts with little effort.
"Now, Lady Linkette, please work closely with your seamstress, as it isn't general knowledge you are expecting yet, except inside of the castle. I know it is still early, but you must understand the reputation of the Royal family. It isn't like with the Lorulian Royal family where anything goes."
Zelo patiently waited for her response before giving his own, knowing that her freedom was still needed in this arrangement. Linkette just nodded, accepting the subtle criticism of her becoming pregnant out of wedlock. She still didn't fully understand what she was thinking either, so couldn't be too upset at being judged. Once that was established Zelo then began pointing out which areas would need the most help and to see if it's possible to have some Gorons come down the mountain to help with the heavy lifting that even horses would struggle with. They discussed it for a while before ending things for lunch. Linkette was content to walk with Zelo to the small dining room they'd be using to eat on their own.
"At least the damage was...well no fire was involved, which is good. Flames can cause pretty severe damage, but chances are you know that first hand thanks to Sir Dale."
Linkette nodded as she started eating, wishing she could be better conversation. Lunch continued, as did the rest of the day, and eventually the rest of the week. Damia ended up dragging Beau to Zelo to ask him to make the marriage between the two of them official, as the town officiant wasn't comfortable doing a quick wedding for a princess.
"Of course, you two have more than earned such after everything," Zelo nodded, got some of his nicer finery on and made their wedding official while throwing in a knighting for the two of them just to make the event super special.
Damia was over the moon when Beau kissed her for the first time as her husband. She hugged him tightly and once the excitement for the day ended, started making plans for returning to his parent's farm, her and Arew already having said their farewells.
"Yay, now we can be in bed together without making your aunt mad," Damia snuggled her new husband happily.
"We just need to be quieter for the sake of my folks too," Beau blushed as he snuggled back, "we gotta get up early and all."
"Right," Damia nodded.
Some more time went on after that, everyone coming together for the Royal Wedding between Zelo and Linkette. Linkette had already moved into the castle by this point, so all she'd have to worry about is getting dressed and making it to the altar. Alas she was still sleeping.
"LINKEEEEETTE!" Dale was charged in getting her awake since he was the loudest of knights, which Aiden could attest to. "WAKE UP, YER GONNA BE LATE T' YER OWN WEDDIN'!"
Linkette rolled over to go back to sleep, which was most of what she wanted to do now. Let them do the wedding without her.
At this point Dale just broke down the door and looked around. "Okay, ya ain't n danger, yer just bein' yer usual sleepy self. Now c'mon, th prince's gonna panic at this rate." He hauled his friend over his shoulder and headed to the bathing area with some vain hope that a bath would wake her up.
"SIR DALE YOU CANNOT BATHE LADY LINKETTE, IT ISN'T PROPER!" A maid yelled in panic, while Linkette looked rather annoyed at being disturbed.
"We've had baths t'gether, ain't like I haven't seen anythin' I don't on my wife anyway. Secondly, have ya ever known me t' be proper?"
The maid sighed in frustration, especially when Linkette exited the bath looking like a drowned cat, having still been in her bedclothes.
"So ready fer th' weddin' now?" Dale just smiled like the jerk he was currently being.
Linkette just glared at him as she stripped off the wet clothes, a maid rushing to wrap her up in a warm towel and help her get dressed.
"It's alright, milady. We'll get you dried off and situated so you don't catch a cold. I hope the shock wasn't too much for you and your children," Yes, the maid was trying to make Dale feel bad.
"If'n it did, she can punch me out after th' ceremony," Dale assured, "but fer now she's gotta git a'fore th' prince has a meltdown at her absence."
Linkette was soon dolled up for the wedding, looking like a goddess, especially since she was getting the pregnancy glow. She kept a serene look on her face as she smiled at Sir Peter, who'd be giving her away as her surrogate father. No one would know that she was more focused on plotting her revenge against Sir Dale than on her wedding. Peter hugged her before giving her away and whispered how proud he is of his surrogate daughter/shield maiden. Soon the ceremony started and the vows were said, mostly, as Linkette just nodded when needed. Then Zelo kissed his new wife at the appropriate time and kept it chaste for the sake of the people watching. Linkette kept smiling as they walked down together, though started trying to hurry Zelo along as she felt her morning sickness acting up. They just made it down the aisle before she covered her mouth and made a dash for the nearest bathroom. Zelo did his best to help her and luckily had an entourage that kept things moving without questions popping up. Soon Linkette was tidied back up thanks to a maid and her and Zelo were able to go greet their subjects, along with Linkette being introduced as the Queen.
Time went by fairly quickly after that, Linkette easily starting her duties as queen, though was pleased to discover she had enough freetime to do the things she loved, like tend Epona. Around seven and half months after the wedding had her going into labor with the twins, the whole castle in a flurry of excitement and panic. Zelo was doing his best to keep calm for her sake but a few screams of panic did leak out every now and again when the physician looked worried. About two days after labor started, Linkette finally delivered their son, then daughter, looking beyond exhausted as the Physician examined the babes for any problems. Linkette was out cold before the midwife could bring a healing potion over to her. Zelo administered his magic to help her out while also praying for his childrens' health. A physician decreed that the boy was healthy as can be, but the girl was a bit small and didn't seem as strong. As for Linkette, it was touch and go for a few days as she caught fever from childbirth, but luckily she managed to pull through, though the physician strongly discouraged having anymore children after this, saying he'd provide the needed preventatives when Linkette had recovered.
There was much joy to be had once it was known all three had pulled through okay. Fortunately Aiden had no such troubles with her delivery, having two healthy baby girls right on schedule, both coming out easily. Damia, the last of the main group to fall pregnant, ended up having her child a year after the quest had finished, after having a flawless pregnancy, easily giving birth to a very healthy boy as well. All lived happily ever after...until the children had their own quest.