Yours Truly, Zelda

by MeBeKiki

"Well, your Highness, I have valuable intel from sources who work closely to you. They tell us you fancy one of the squires who train in the royal court." Zelda stared at Link bemusedly and he simply gave her a mischievous smile. "They believe it to be me." Zelda/Link LONG oneshot; au-ish

Not Kiki randomly posting a ZeLink story when she still hasn't finished The Roommates! (I was procrastinating a little bit. I still am. I hit a brick wall around the 3k word mark but the next chapter is still being worked on slowly but surely!)

Okay, let's talk about the particular world/timeline of this oneshot. There isn't one. Not really, at least. The overworld of Hyrule is modeled after Breath of the Wild, but this story features characters from a variety of games. (Skyward Sword, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening, Spirit Tracks, A Link Between Worlds…). Some of them are not fully loyal to their personalities in their respective games– the best example I can give you of this is Chancellor Cole, from Spirit Tracks. He is one of the antagonists of that game, but a lot less evil in this story. I have yet to write a Legend of Zelda story that takes place in one timeline if I am being honest with you. But one day it may happen. What a glorious day that will be! Until then, accept the chaos.

WARNING: Somewhat chaotic ZeLink. A ridiculously long oneshot because I refused to make this a multichaptered fic. Oh, God, it's also super cheesy. I surprised myself with how cheesy it gets. It just gets worse and worse the more you read. A dumpster fire mashup of characters with no set canon because I don't want to deal with the details of a particular world, so I've created one where Zelda and Link don't have to worry about evil and saving the world and all that crap. We can focus on the REAL issues! Romance! TEAM ZELINK WOOO!

---

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

Dear Diary,

Today I asked my father what standard Hyrulean protocol is for marrying a knight, and he was not pleased. I tried to act as if it were pure curiosity but even my steeliest poker face could not throw him off trail; he suspects that I have strong feelings for one of my knights, which of course, is not a good thing. I am expected to court a personage of high nobility, ideally a royal, one whose hand in marriage will provide great political advantage to the Harkinian name. But despite my understanding of what is expected of me, I am still only human, and I yearn to marry a man for a reason far greater than power: love.

Zelda underlined the word several times before dipping her quill once more.

Now, diary, you should feel honored that I am writing all of this to you. You are learning my deepest, darkest secrets that I do not like to admit, even to myself. But my father's suspicions are correct. Half-correct, at least. The man I fancy is not yet a knight but he is training meticulously to become one. I'm keeping his name to myself because my mother always told me not all things should be granted so thoughtlessly. However, in case I need to remind myself of who he was or what he was like in the distant future, I will list some of his qualities.

He is unusually short, the shortest of all the squires. I myself am half a head taller than him, which is one of many reasons my attraction to him both befuddles and infuriates me. He is very quiet, but when he does speak, he can be a bit crass. He addresses me formally as expected, but in a rather disingenuous manner. It's more of a simple acknowledgment that I am a royal, and as a royal there is a certain way one must conduct themselves in our presence. He does the bare minimum, as if he doesn't truly believe I am worthy of that respect solely due to my title. And there are other times where I swear he… flirts with me. He likes to tease me too. I find it equal parts annoying and endearing. To be talked to in a manner that is not so superfluously genteel. Does that sound weird, diary? I hope not, because his vulgarity and forwardness and indifference only makes me want him more. I think Chancellor Cole and Impa notice it too, because they always look displeased whenever he greets me, yet they cannot call him out for being impolite because, well… he technically is not.

There is far more I could write about him, but I have to go to bed early. Eagus and I will spar tomorrow at dawn. Impa and I will then travel to Mabe Village for tea with Lady Marin. I convinced her to let us have a sleepover! It'll be a nice reprieve from all my studying, but it also means I'll be gone for a few days. Try not to miss me too much, for I will be home soon.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

Sparring with Eagus was always rather dull. He taught her many things but when it came to application, he was always… holding back. The beloved princess had a tendency to bruise easily, and because of that he was mindful of how much force he used when showing her various techniques, but she didn't want to be treated like a fragile flower. She knew—from both history and common sense—that there were many people in the world who wanted to cause her harm. And, Hylia forbid, she found herself in a state of vulnerability, she wanted to be prepared for any threat she could come across.

She sighed as she wrapped up their kendo sticks and placed them in the bin.

Sensing her disappointment, Eagus gave her an awkward pat on the back. "It would not do you any good to have bruises when you see Lady Marin tonight." He told her.

Zelda turned quickly and rather forcefully, giving his hand no choice but to recoil back at the sudden movement.

"I suppose you could use that excuse for any social outing I attend, and you have," she replied. Eagus blinked a few times; he knew the princess well as one of her trusted instructors, yet her candor took him by surprise every time.

"You have a legion of men who would move mountains at the beckon of your hand, my dear." He bowed his head down respectfully, as if to indicate without words, that he was one of them. "You also have Impa. Do not worry yourself too much over our training. As you get older you will learn more and step into your power fully. But for now—"

"—Baby steps." Zelda nodded curtly; they'd had this talk before. "Understood. If you can, notify Impa that I'll come to the carriage after I stop at the barracks." She decided to leave out a scathing comment about how there, she would be able to witness true fighting that didn't hold back because of the meager chance for scars and bruises.

"The barracks," Eagus frowned, "Of course, Your Highness."

---

Zelda walked across the training field with noble grace; her hands folded behind her back, her tulle and lace gown flowing around her feet with every step she took, and her hair, neatly braided, swishing from side to side with the morning breeze. She was even more radiant than the sun, and upon seeing her the squires stopped to stare in wonderment. She glanced at them with amusement, gave them polite nods, and encouraged them to train as if she weren't there. She made a habit of visiting them every morning, so she wasn't sure why they always acted starstruck whenever they saw her.

Amongst them, there was only one who didn't.

Zelda observed their training, only partially feigning her interest in their rotations. When one made an attempt to strike the other, there was an odd sort of camaraderie in between actions, like a mutual understanding that despite the pain inflicted they were helping each other improve. This was what Zelda wanted in her own sparring sessions. To be treated as an equal. She didn't want to train like a princess; she wanted to train like a knight. It was one of two main reasons she liked to visit the squires.

As for the other reason…

She tried to quell her heart, which was now pounding against her ribcage, as she slowed her walk to admire her favorite up-and-coming knight.

Link Valor, the most impressive and seasoned fighter of the squires. Last she'd heard, he was at the top of his class; a force of nature in combat, and a well-read scholar on chivalry and philosophy.

And, interestingly enough, he was the only squire who trained with his shirt off. Zelda wasn't even sure if that was allowed, and she was confident that if she said something about it, she could urge him to keep it on like the rest of his colleagues.

She never said anything.

Instead, she watched thoughtfully as he sparred with another excellent squire, Pipit. Their kendo sticks clashed so quickly that Zelda's eyes had trouble deciphering each movement. Soon enough, she gave up trying and instead chose to only observe Link. She admired the sharp contours of his handsome face, the flex of his muscles every time Pipit tried to strike him, the expression of pure focus that never seemed to break…

Then she could have sworn it, while they sparred, Link dodging all of Pipit's strikes with ease, his icy blue eyes caught sight of Zelda for no longer than a split second, and he smiled. But the moment was fleeting, and Zelda couldn't be sure of whether or not it was real or her wishful mind playing tricks on her.

Their faux battle ended with Link finally catching Pipit off-guard—that or he got bored of fighting, it was hard to tell—and pushing Pipit to the ground with a hard jab to the chest.

His back was turned to the enamored princess, so she was left with the sight of it in all of its sculpted glory, bruised, scarred, and sweaty. Even from behind, she could see the rise and fall of his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

Eyes slowly peeling over every inch of his form, from his shoulders and down his spine, Zelda felt her own breath catching in her throat.

"Enjoying the view?" Link asked, and she knew he wasn't speaking to Pipit. He turned around to look at her and took his stick, whirling it around on his arm like a baton, a neat trick all the knights liked to learn and practice.

She liked to think he was doing it now to impress her.

His smile was languid and dangerously charming when their eyes locked again, "...Your Highness."

He added the formality so late that it was apparent he was teasing her, and Zelda felt indignant even if it never showed on her face. Fortunately she had the patience of a hardened sage and unparalleled composure that came from years of constant scrutiny. She was a brilliant mask of emotion and knew how to put that gift to use.

"I enjoy watching all of my knights spar," she replied innocently, even if her intentions were notably less than innocent.

"Then why not go further north?" he pointed to the training fields for the higher classes, "you know, where the actual appointed knights train. They have far more experience than us lowly squires. After all, we're just students."

"So am I," Zelda shrugged, "I suppose that's one thing we have in common."

"The only thing, likely." Was Zelda imagining the sadness in his voice? "We are worlds apart otherwise."

She wasn't quite sure of what to say to that.

"I, well…" she stammered, "I like to study your guys' routines and chart your growth. The knights are rather… stale. They have already reached their physical peaks and sort of stagnate as a result." There. That sounded convincing enough, and Link seemed to buy it easily.

"Mm," he nodded, his voice sounded like a low rumble in his throat and he dared to step closer to her. Even if he was still at a respectable distance, it was hardly an appropriate action to take, one that any sensible squire would never even dream of doing in the presence of their Princess, and she felt her blood churning in her stomach, her head pounding, her heartbeat reaching new speeds—

"If that is the case, your Highness, you may continue to study my form intimately." This time the tone of his voice dipped with each word he uttered, until the last word was nothing more than a sultry whisper, and Zelda felt her cheeks turning tomato red at the sheer audacity of it all. No man would need to whisper like this lest they had said something they weren't supposed to. Which he most certainly did. And to make matters worse, he had granted her permission as if he himself had a choice in the matter. Which he most certainly did not! She was the Princess of Hyrule! She could do as she pleased! If she ordered him to drop to his knees and kiss her feet then he would have no choice but to oblige her.

Hmph! She thought, though her mouth remained in a straight, unreadable line. Her eyes were even more guarded than the squires surrounding them who were defending themselves from every potential strike. She wasn't sure what was more mortifying, that he could intonate such double entendres with no regard to her authority… or that deep down she liked it, and wanted him to continue doing so.

And Link stared up at her, his blue eyes delighted and one side of his lip curled up like he knew. Yes, that is right, she remembered. He was smaller than her, both in stature and status. It did not feel that way sometimes.

"...Thank you for your blessing," she said dryly, and he looked like he was ready to say something else, something that would no doubt make her toes curl and her body flush with want, but she was interrupted by a rather unceremonious tug on her dress.

Startled, she looked down to see that it was Chancellor Cole, his eyebrows were curved upwards in a displeased glare.

"Now, now, princess," he admonished her, "we talked about you coming out here and talking to the squires. Impa is waiting for you in the carriage, there is no time to waste. Mabe may not be far but it will still take a couple of hours to get there."

"Yes, I know, I know," Zelda frowned, "I'll head over now."

The tiny redheaded man nodded at her, turning to Link and giving him a narrow glare. Link pointedly ignored it, eyes focused solely on Zelda.

"Mabe?" He asked once Chancellor Cole had walked off.

"For tea with Lady Marin." Zelda explained, "I should be back the day after tomorrow."

He seemed mildly surprised at this news, or disappointed. "A whole day trip for tea with a noblewoman? How posh."

"Lady Marin is a good friend. We'll discuss matters of land and trade." That wasn't a truth or a lie. She had no idea what would come up in conversation during her visit, and it sounded a lot better than to say that she was going for her own pleasure. It didn't feel right to say that, not in a castle where everyone who worked from dusk to dawn to serve her weren't easily granted such luxuries.

"Indubitably," Link said in a faux accent, and that one word made Zelda's arm twitch with confusion and rage and yearning, all at once. One word was all he needed to send her mind into a frenzy, because he was mocking her again, strategically, in a way she couldn't directly call out. And the worst part was that he knew it. And he knew that she knew it too.

She could see it in his eyes, in his cocky smirk, daring her to speak to him not as a princess, but simply as… a woman. It was a game they played with each other. He would push her buttons and in response she would remain calm and cool and collected, which prompted him to push her buttons some more and so on and so forth. Zelda knew that if she cracked, there was a possibility the game could end. And, well, she wasn't willing to let that happen.

Then Link took another step towards Zelda, and the distance between them was awkward in that Zelda was no longer sure if it was appropriate or not, or if she even cared. "That sounds like quite a long while before we'll see each other again." He murmured, which was folly and they both knew it. It would only be two days, one if she didn't count today, and soon enough she would be right back at her cushy palace, making her unnecessary rounds at the squire's barracks for a limp excuse to talk to Link once more. He was teasing her. Yet again. "Maybe I should commission Pikango for a last-second portrait, so I can remember your face."

"Do you mean for me, so I can continue to study your form 'intimately'?" Zelda replied smartly, deciding at this point it was only fair she did a little teasing herself. Unfortunately for Zelda, Link was shameless, and far wittier.

"...Or I yours," he said, and his voice had become feather soft and quiet again.

He wouldn't have the pleasure of gazing upon her reaction because in an instant, he turned away and walked back to Pipit, and Chancellor Cole was waving his tiny arms at Zelda—goddess, how could a human being be so tiny anyway?—so she followed him helplessly as he talked her ear off about housekeeping issues. Zelda, as she often did with the things Link said to her, second-guessed herself and what she'd heard, briefly considering that maybe her mind was imagining it, but her insides still felt like they had been set ablaze. While the chancellor was caught up in his rambling, she managed to turn around to steal one last glance at Link, and found him staring right back at her, holding his kendo stick upright and resting his cheek near the hilt.

He gave her a nod, his usually mirthful eyes a bit sad, and mouthed the word 'Bye.'

She raised one of her hands up amiably as a gesture of farewell, and mouthed 'Bye' back.

And soon, Chancellor Cole's words became pure white noise as she thought of Link, of his foolish and brazen courage to speak to her in that way he always did, and how it only made her heart beat faster, her legs a little weaker, and him all the more attractive.

Then she thought of her father sternly telling her that for the sake of their lineage, she was to marry someone of status.

This was not going to be easy.

---

Dear Diary,

The outing to Mabe Village was fun but now I am finally home after a long day of travel, and it feels so nice to curl up in my rosy bed and write to you once more.

Marin and I had plenty of fun; we fished at the pond and rode horses near her manor. Impa says it's probably just in my head, but I found my dreams to be most vivid and beautiful while we were there. I have no idea why! Tomorrow it is back to business as usual, and I'll be studying, annotating, and visiting the barracks as I always do. I won't spar with Eagus in the morning but the next time I do, maybe I can convince him to be more head-on during our fights.

And yes… in case you were wondering, I haven't been able to stop thinking of a certain squire.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

Something wasn't right.

Zelda did not know exactly what it was, but she knew—or at least had her own idea of—when it started. The first people she saw when her eyes opened that next morning were two of her personal servants, Tatl and Tael. Not an unwelcome sight per se, but certainly unusual, as they weren't scheduled to stop by to clean her chambers until the afternoon, around the time her and Impa went for lunch.

Yet here they stood in her doorway. Tatl had a wide grin of excitement while Tael lingered behind his older sister hesitantly.

"Good morning princess. I hope we didn't wake you," Tatl said.

"No worries," Zelda yawned, "I should be up anyway. But, and I don't mean to be rude, what are you two doing here so early? I just returned from Mabe yesterday, and I promise you both I did not manage to make so much of a mess in such a short amount of time for you guys to tend to my chambers ahead of schedule." She laughed awkwardly, hoping that wasn't the reason for their attendance.

Tatl stared at her blankly for a moment, doing nothing to ease her anxiety, and then laughed as if finally understanding what she had been saying. "Never, princess! You are pristine and never burden us with too much labor." She smiled, then muttered, "Unlike your father…"

Zelda was confident she wasn't meant to hear that, but since she did, she snorted.

"We simply wanted to see you out and ask how your travels were."

Zelda flipped the covers off of her and put her slippers on, considering Tatl's words. "It was smooth for the most part. The weather was lovely. Lady Marin was as sweet as apple pie, as always." She thought on it more, but couldn't conjure up much else to say. Then her mind started to panic again, considering that Tatl was trying to make light conversation with her and she hadn't much to offer.

"That sounds great!" Tatl said, oblivious to Zelda's inner concerns. "Are you going to the barracks today?"

Zelda felt her embarrassment warm on her cheeks, and Tatl certainly noticed because she giggled.

"Er, yes, after breakfast." She nodded slowly.

Tatl was going to say something else but Tael was pulling on the sleeve of her uniform impatiently, murmuring something that Zelda could not hear. She could only assume he was uncomfortable and wanted to go, because he started inching his way out of the doorway, but Tatl didn't budge.

"Is everything alright?" Zelda asked.

Tatl answered a bit too quickly, "Yes, just peachy! You should get ready. Tael and I will be back after I talk to him. Uh…" she faltered, thinking of something else to say. "Have fun at the barracks!" She sputtered eventually, then ran off.

Zelda frowned suspiciously, but put the thought to the side as she got dressed for the day.

---

The knights' living quarters stretched upon the palace fields in order of rank, with the highest order nearest to the castle and the student knights furthest out. This made Zelda's daily trek arduous, as at least twenty minutes of her time was spent walking from the gate to the squires' quarters and training fields. Still a bit groggy and spoiled from her fun in Mabe Village, Zelda felt her legs aching and she had the urge to reach underneath her dress to grip at her thighs, but she couldn't. As she reached her destination, she noticed the young men passing by her giving her polite smiles, but with a strange glint in their eyes. Zelda couldn't be certain of what it was, whether envy or worry or something else, and she didn't have the courage to ask.

She found Link, shirtless as he often was, sitting at a bench with his kendo stick cradled in his lap, hunched over while he drank a cup of water. Sensing her approach, he glanced up at her, blinking a few times as that terribly wonderful smile crept onto his face.

"Morning, your Highness." He said after wiping his mouth, and his tone was less wry and a bit more jovial. Another odd occurrence.

Zelda felt nervous. Even though it was a simple greeting she immediately felt like he was treating her with less reproach and provocation, and it was a little too consistent with everyone else's strange behavior.

"Good morning Link," she responded pleasantly, then, not wanting to let that be their only interaction for the day, she added: "I see you have not slacked off on your training."

It was supposed to be a wholesome comment for normal, platonic conversation and may have been appropriate had she said it when he was sparring, but he wasn't. He was doing nothing impressive, slouched over while he sipped at tepid water.

So there could be no other meaning to it than a prurient compliment on his physique. Oh goddess.

Internally she was smacking herself for saying something so foolish but it couldn't be helped, she fancied him a lot; externally no one would have ever known it, because her mouth was drawn in that straight line she had perfected to a T.

He recognized her slip-up perfectly, however, and his friendly smile turned into one that was more familiar: devious and taunting. And slowly, torturously, he sat up fully so that she could have a better view of his glorious chest, sweat dripping and glistening like the diamonds she enjoyed purchasing from Tarrey Town. But she was in the most compromising of positions because his eyes were hooked on hers with no intention of moving. He was studying her reaction, the color in her cheeks, so fearlessly and carelessly, waiting for her to break the contact so she could admire his muscles in full, or maybe waiting for her to realize the implications of what she had said and clarify it for him.

Stubbornly, she did neither, but it didn't stop him from looking smug.

"Thank you for noticing," he finally said when he realized she wasn't going to budge. "I did make sure to train extra hard while you were away." He placed his cup down and stood up, resting his chin on the hilt of his kendo stick as he liked to do.

Zelda opened her mouth despite being tongue-tied, and began to mumble a response, but Link interrupted her, either not hearing or not caring for what she had to say.

"I missed you." His voice was gentle, his eyes and smile no longer playful. She could tell he was being… earnest. And somehow that was more overwhelming than his teasing. So much so that she broke their terse eye contact and her eyes fell to the ground.

If she were a commoner with no self-control, she probably would have melted like a sweetened cacao bar in his presence, uttered in the sweetest high-pitch voice "Really?" and bat her eyelashes. She wouldn't really blame a woman in her position right now if they did that. Link had all the manly qualities to bring any sensible woman to her knees. The looks, the physique, the voice, the attitude — his only damning quality was his height, and even then she found that she didn't mind it at all, seeing it as something that made him all the more unique.

She wanted to scold him for making her feel this way, for the assault of butterflies swarming in her stomach and the conflict brewing within due to liking him despite her better judgment. She wanted to roll her eyes and scoff at him without a care in the world, to tell him that it had hardly been two days, and that at most they spent maybe a few minutes here and there talking to each other on a day-to-day basis, so there was really nothing to miss, and he was full of crap.

What came out was far less impressive.

"Really?" The very word she wanted to avoid had slipped out of her mouth. Only it didn't sound as adoring as she worried it would. She said it plainly with maybe a touch of dryness, so she could, at the very least, commend herself for not sounding too desperate.

"Really." He replied in the same tone and though he was mocking her, when she looked back at him she could tell his eyes were searching for something within her. But what?

He broke the contact to look down at his trousers, digging rabidly into his pockets for something. Zelda was about to inquire what it was when he pulled out a sheet parchment and unwrapped it to hand to her.

It consisted of squares, arrows, numbers, and labels that to any other eye would most likely be nonsensical, but Zelda quickly recognized it as a simplified diagram of the castle; her room was circled and a series of arrows followed that led beyond the castle gates to a different building, presumably somewhere in the city. Along the way from her room were some surprisingly detailed knight helmets, symbolizing the knights who guarded different areas of the castle.

There were probably more pressing matters to worry about, like why Link was handing her a diagram of the castle or how he was able to capture this level of detail—most knights weren't intimately familiar with the castle until years of serving, and… how long had Link been training again?—but all Zelda could think about was how lovely his penmanship was, and the little heart he had drawn for her chambers.

"It's… an impressive diagram." She said, focusing on keeping the corners of her mouth from crinkling up.

Link shrugged modestly. "It didn't take long to draw up. Consider it an invitation."

Zelda's head shot up at the word, "An invitation?"

"It isn't perfectly to scale, but I tried to make it as accurate as I could. There's a Goron-owned tavern nearby that all of the squires like to go to every night. This shows you how to get there." He stepped to her side so that he could see the diagram properly, and reached over to point at the knight heads he'd drawn. His arm brushed against hers and her body clenched upon his touch. "And the knights…"

"These are their rotations." Zelda said knowingly.

"You know about them?" Link asked.

"Of course I do. I have them memorized."

Zelda turned to look at him when he didn't respond immediately. Link raised an eyebrow, and Zelda felt herself squirming underneath his questionable gaze. "Is that a problem?" She asked.

"No… It's just…" Link laughed gingerly, "The knights are there as a form of supervision, right? You'd only have their rotations memorized if you've evaded them before."

Zelda froze. Crap. She wasn't disobedient by any means, but it was nice information to have in case she wanted to sneak into the pantry for a snack, or get some fresh air. She never used the information for anything truly problematic, but now it felt like she'd admitted a royal secret, all the more ammunition for Link to tease her with.

Instead of becoming a blubbering fool, however, she turned the conversation around on him with ease, "And I am to believe you have honorable intentions for memorizing them as well?" She narrowed her eyes at him, "Inviting me to drink with a bunch of men at night is hardly appropriate."

Link's bright expression wilted a little bit, but he persisted. "I… didn't mean it like that, your Highness. I just think saying your hello's to everybody for a few minutes each morning isn't enough to actually get to know us." She could see the hope glimmering in his eyes, and instinctively she knew that when he said 'us,' he really meant him, "I know the proposition seems risky, but I promise I would not let any harm befall you, should you choose to accept."

She couldn't go. It wasn't appropriate, and there was a code that all the knights were expected to follow. They were not supposed to solicit their princess for an evening of drinks and undoubtedly crude banter. Plus she had a curfew. And Ancient Hylian studies with Gaepora the next morning. She had to say no. She couldn't accept his invitation. She knew this. But her legs felt like chu jelly and she was certain he could hear how fast her heart was pounding.

Only he couldn't. He was looking at her with his own sense of trepidation, awaiting an answer.

And like a love-struck fool, she said, "Well, if it's in the interest of getting to know my future knights… I accept."

---

Zelda couldn't believe it. She was scaling the outer walls of her castle, hands shakily clasping each brick as she made her way down to the ground. It was thirty minutes past her curfew, and after a long bout of tossing around in her bed, debating over whether she wanted to go through with the plan or not, all it took was one mental image of Link and his beautiful face for her to throw caution to the wind and swing her legs over her window.

One misstep and she would die.

Or worse, she would live, sustain horrible injuries, and be subject to Impa, Chancellor Cole, and her father's scolding.

She let out a sigh of relief when she made it to the ground safely.

Weaving past her guards was an easy feat, which was worrisome since they were expected to be her diligent protectors and have the eyes of an Islander Hawk. The darkness hid her well, and the lanterns the knights used to aid their vision only radiated light within a tiny radius. The nerve-wracking part was sneaking out of the palace gate and following Link's diagram to the bar. The streetlights were dim and her shoes clacked loudly against the cobblestone streets. Zelda tightened the cloak around her and kept her head low while she walked.

Just a few more steps and…

A hand gripped her arm, breaking her train of thought. Zelda yelped, the paper fluttered to the ground, but when she turned to face her assailant she felt her body lurch over with relief.

"Your Highness," Link gasped, pure surprise etched on his handsome features, "You actually came."

Zelda snatched her arm out of his angrily, "Yes, I did. I told you I would, so I'm not sure why you look so shocked, or why you would grab me like that. How could you tell it was me?" Her fingers were now lining the hood of her cloak self-consciously.

He chuckled, "You're coming directly from the castle, and your cloak is made of the finest velvet in Central Hyrule. It wasn't that much of a gamble." Then his face became a bit more serious, "And I was looking to see if you would come. I told you I'd let no harm befall you if you did. I meant it."

Zelda softened up immediately at his words. He was so tempting, so dreamy, so disrespectfully respectful, and she wasn't supposed to be here, wasn't supposed to be so taken by him, wasn't supposed to be looping her arm around his as he escorted her to a bar.

Zelda wasn't sure what she expected before entering. It was quite spacious, but the room felt small with almost all the squires there, hollering and toasting as they drank like madmen. Link's hold on her tightened, as if he were afraid to lose her, and he led her through the crowd carefully. Surprisingly, nobody's eyes even tried to steal a glance at her as she followed Link.

A sign that spelled out 'FIREBALL' was hanging above a shelf lined with liquor. How cute. The Gorons manning the register were friendly. She averted her gaze and kept her head low, as to not be recognized.

"Hey Link!" One of them said. His voice was deep and raspy but also comforting and friendly. "Who is this?" He pointed at Zelda.

"Oh, a friend I study with." He said coolly. Her eyes met his as he said it and she felt her breath steady, and he pulled her a bit closer to him.

"A friend," the Goron sounded skeptical of it but said nothing more, switching to a tone of business. "Well, would you and your 'friend' like anything? A drink? A snack?"

"A number two for each of us. And for her—er—them…" He leaned in close to the Goron and whispered something Zelda couldn't make out. She felt her nerves rising again. Why the secrecy?

The Goron nodded, giving them both a tender smile, and went to the kitchen to prepare their order.

"Would you like to go to the back?" Link had come in especially close to ask Zelda this question. His voice was a whisper, and his lips were nearly brushing her ear, and despite the rowdiness of the squires around them and Link's notable softness, his voice was far louder to her than anyone else's. "There are fire pits to keep us warm, and it's far less crowded."

"The back," she repeated sheepishly, "Er… yes."

This was both not what she had signed up for and exactly what she had signed up for. Her eyes darted around the room quickly before she followed Link out the back door of the tavern. Pipit was dancing on top of one of the wooden tables. Another squire, Ravio, was chugging a barrel of beer. Groose was egging him on wildly. She was seeing a whole new side to her future knights, which was really what Link's stated intentions were. To get to know all of her squires. But she was following him to the back, to a far more intimate and secluded area where they wouldn't be bothered by the others. Goddess, she was glad he was grasping her arm and not her hand, because she could feel the sweat gathering on her palms. She couldn't recall the last time she'd felt this nervous, and she had experienced far more nerve-wracking things than this.

The back was, as Link said, far less crowded. In fact there were no squires outside, they were all inside drinking up a storm. The only others outside with them were a few Gorons, presumably employees taking their break, who sat around different pits and paid her and Link no mind. Link led her to a fire pit that already had a healthy flame going, and they sat on long, sturdy logs designed to be benches.

Zelda let out a deep breath.

The night sky was beautiful. They had the perfect view of the moon and stars, and in the far distance Castle Town was a beautiful backdrop. Miles away but still within sight. And Zelda felt a random burst of sadness in her heart when she realized how secluded Hyrule Castle was from the city. It made her feel lonely, and that was a feeling she was already too familiar with.

"I hope you're hungry," Link murmured, clearing his throat. Zelda looked to him, her face insistently unreadable.

"Yeah, that's probably something you should have clarified with me before ordering me some food."

Link's mouth twitched. "Yeah, my apologies. You aren't obligated to eat anything if you're full, not that you need me to tell you that or anything…" Away from the castle, his confidence and cockiness seemed like a fever dream. He seemed anxious. "But if you do feel like eating, well… Ah. Are you hungry?" He sounded like a mess and Zelda found it heart-wrenchingly adorable.

"I had a five course meal for dinner." she stated promptly. "A light soup, a savory appetizer, my greens, the main course—tonight it was lightly seasoned cucco breast with a tiny portion of broccoli—and a small pastry for dessert."

"Oh… right." Link sighed, kneading his hands together awkwardly.

"But you should know that royal portions are tragically small," she added, "So of course I'm still hungry."

He lit up noticeably at the mention of this, and she let herself loosen up a bit, giving him a smile.

"That's… good to hear. I'm surprised you'd still have room in your stomach for more food after five courses though."

"It's miserably calculated," Zelda explained, "They know exactly how much food to give in order for me to be sufficiently full, but I'm not allowed to indulge."

"Why not? You're the princess of Hyrule. Shouldn't indulging be part of your lifestyle?"

Zelda smoothed her hands over her body with a frown. "Not when you have a figure to maintain."

Link blinked a few times then looked to the ground.

"That, uh…"

Zelda rolled her eyes, "I'm not sure what the big deal is. A few pounds never hurt anybody. And I would like more hips to fill out my dresses, as salacious as that may sound."

Link looked like he wanted to respond with something, but against his better judgment he held his tongue, and instead that smirk that rattled her every time she saw it snaked its way onto her face. She was going to ask what it meant when the Goron that had taken their order approached them with food and drinks.

"Here we go," he said, "Two number twos, and your beverages." He set the tray of food between them, and handed them each their drinks. Zelda's was in a small, warm mug while Link had a Stein glass with beer sloshing around inside, threatening to spill over. When she went to unwrap the mysterious 'number two' Link had ordered for her, she felt her mouth water immediately. It was fresh off the stove hot, delicious white bread with tender pork in between. She could tell from the smell that it was well-seasoned too.

Link admired her reaction, "It's a sweet and spicy pork sandwich."

"Goddess, it smells divine." Zelda licked her lips. "And I'm never allowed to have this many carbs."

She had the excitement of a kid finally getting to open their presents on Boxing Day. Link focused on the shimmer of her eyes, taken by how elated she was by a cheap sandwich. "You should probably take your time with it—" he started, but his words fell on deaf ears as Zelda took a big bite, squeezing her eyes shut and enjoying the medley of flavors that were filling her mouth.

It was delightfully sweet, but not in an overwhelming way. And then… oh… the spice hit. She let out a squeak that was terribly unroyal and started to fan herself.

Link, amused, pointed at her mug. "That might help, your Highness." He said.

She grabbed it, sniffed at it curiously, then took a sip. Almost immediately, she felt herself relax. It was warm, but it quelled the spice in her mouth wonderfully. Nutty, creamy, with a subtle and natural sweetness to it. And… a hint of cinnamon? She took another sip, then another, and another.

"Don't down it all in one go," Link laughed, "Otherwise you'll have nothing to help you deal with the spice."

Zelda wiped her mouth, embarrassed. "...Right." She said, straightening herself up. She watched him drink his beer, then remembered the hub of drunk men yelling inside of the tavern, and for a moment she looked down at her mug with fear. "Wait, this doesn't have any…"

"Alcohol? Gods no." Link shook his head. "Oat milk. Milled and shipped from Rito Village."

Zelda felt a wonderful sensation of repose wash through her body.

"Believe it or not, I am a gentleman. Most of the time, at least." He shrugged.

She believed it.

He could touch up on a thing or two about the way he approached people, particularly royalty, but she believed it. She could feel it in the way he led her gently and watched her closely.

They proceeded to eat their food and drink their beverages in silence. The novelty of their initial, light-hearted conversation had worn off, and the many voices in Zelda's head began to quarrel with one another. It was a pain to listen to.

Say something! Anything! Her mind kept shouting at her incessantly. Why was she so scared? She could deliver speeches in front of thousands of people, walk down streets and greet her adoring subjects with practiced confidence, but now in the presence of a man—a simple man—she had nothing to say. She sighed, feeling her body temperature rise, and after a quick once-around, decided it was safe enough for her to ease out of her cloak. She let it fall around her waist, stretching her arms a bit and enjoying the feeling of the night breeze along her skin. Underneath her cloak was one of her daytime gowns. Modest but comfortable, and a dark shade of green that matched the velvety green of her cloak.

Then she considered what she could say to Link. Begrudgingly, she decided small talk was not an option. Small talk was all they had done for months since she made visiting the squires part of her daily schedule. They would say their hellos, exchange a few shallow words, and she would leave and go on with her day. Now Link had gone through the trouble of helping her sneak out of the castle to see her, and no doubt have a meaningful conversation with her that went beyond talking about the weather or saying 'good morning,' and she had nothing to offer him.

Maybe this was how it was doomed to be.

Maybe her crush was nothing more than a silly and shallow attraction, and she had created a romantic ideal of him, of them together, that would never come to fruition. Maybe the flirting and teasing really only worked when he was only granted a few minutes with her, and not much longer, and the chemistry they shared only existed in those small moments.

Oh my goddess. Say something! Her brain was shouting at her now and she couldn't make it stop. He was probably disappointed, probably thought she was the most boring woman in the world, and—

Zelda glanced at Link, and found that his eyes were fastened on her body, chewing absentmindedly on his sandwich. She felt her cheeks color at his gaze. But it was odd. She probably should have been offended, but it didn't feel violating. He looked serene, eyes glazing over every inch of her form, that is, until he realized she totally noticed him staring. Startled, he straightened up and looked away respectfully.

"It's a beautiful dress," he said after another moment of silence. "That shade of green reminds me of home." It was an explanation for his staring disguised as a casual comment. Clever.

Zelda ran her fingers along the fabric. "It is lovely, isn't it? I always favored this shade of green. When Impa retires, this same shade of green is what my right-hand guard will wear."

"Ah, yes," Link said, "The position every knight of every rank is vying for."

Zelda scoffed at the notion and its truth, then she dared to ask, "Even you?"

He turned, gave her that smoldering look she loved and loathed so much, "Especially me. Why do you think I train so hard?" He told her. She felt faint at his words, and looked away. This time when he flirted she had no excuse to get away from it so that she could allow herself to be flustered. Chancellor Cole's whiny voice was not ringing in her ears, urging her to go back to the palace for her duties. No Eagus to call her, no Impa standing at the grass. No… she had to sit there, keep a straight face and find a royally appropriate way to respond.

"For the life of me, I can't understand why." It wasn't necessarily directed at him, and she hoped he didn't take it that way.

Link's eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't really look angry at her. It was more of a 'don't play dumb' expression. "Really? You have no idea?"

Zelda's jaw tightened. "Aside from the obvious. I understand that many of my knights are infatuated with me, as much as I despise it," Link looked guilty when she said this, "but when the honeymoon phase ends, when the superficial glee subsides… well, that's when reality will settle, I suppose."

Link was looking at her with interest now.

"Do you not want a guard?" He seemed to be asking for himself. He was the exception, Zelda had decided a long time ago. If he wanted to, he could pine after her. She wouldn't mind having him by her side at most hours of the day.

But it would not be proper for her to say this, or to let him in on this idea. "I don't mind having a guard, I just dislike the enthusiasm that surrounds it." Zelda's shoulders fell a little and Link found himself nearly leaning in with pure fascination. Her posture, usually so proper and perfect, was now broken. She was… cracking. Opening. In a good way. "I understand my place in this realm. The expectations that have been placed upon me. The value in my title and in my blood. And I've spent my whole life being treated like the deities of creation that we read about from childhood," her lips were in that same neutral line she always used, but in her eyes was the vulnerability that supported her words.

"But it always felt weird to me. Wrong. You guys train day in and day out, to serve me. To serve my family. And… this is where you come to relax. A tavern barely two steps out from the castle."

Link took a long swig of his beer.

"Is that a bad thing, your Highness?"

"Please," Zelda waved off the honorific as if it were a fly, "just call me Zelda. And no, it isn't a bad thing. I mean… yes, maybe a little. I am tethered to the castle. It is a terrible thing, but it is my fate. I don't think it should be the fate of so many other people. You guys left your families and homelands behind to come here. You've bequeathed your lives to protect mine."

Link was mulling her words over solemnly. "You may speak for the other squires if you wish, but I didn't leave behind much for this life."

She considered asking him what he meant by that, but his expression was somber enough to signal he probably wouldn't want to elaborate.

"Impa is not only my guard. She has been something of a maternal figure in my life, she is my confidante, an instructor, and by extension, my family. I know that she loves me. But I also know that love was cultivated through years of service to me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"She is bound to you," Link said.

"Exactly." Zelda nodded, "The Sheikahs have always been known as the Hylian's shadow. They are beholden to our family and have served us for generations. I think," she looked to the sky for a moment, as though the goddess Hylia herself would descend from the heavens and strike her for what she was about to say, "I think it's… despicable." The word came out as a whisper. "To ordain a group of people, a group of individuals, to a responsibility like that. Impa didn't just up and decide to be my nursemaid. It was imposed on her by generations before her, who also had that job of protecting our family imposed on them."

Link didn't know what to say, nor did he want to say anything. He simply nodded, urging her to continue.

"I suppose what I'm saying is," she stopped to think. What was she trying to say? "I… I wish guarding me didn't require so much sacrifice." The word felt heavy on her tongue. She knew a thing or two about sacrifice. Her entire life, from the moment of her birth, had been sacrifice. Of course, it wasn't the same sort of sacrifice that the knights, Impa, Eagus, Tatl, Tael, and everyone else who worked for her had to give. It was mitigated by a life of spoils and luxury, but there was still a loss of something valuable. She had to give up privacy, a normal childhood, the pleasure of enjoying herself, and much of her personal freedom and expression to be a princess.

She tried to ground herself, keep herself from drowning in her thoughts, and saw that Link was staring at her in wonderment.

But it wasn't the shallow sort of wonderment that the other knights would look at her with.

He was looking at her like he had just laid eyes on her for the first time.

"Did… Did that sound stupid?" She asked worriedly.

"No, no, goddess no…" Link assured her, running a hand through his hair. "It sounded…" He grasped for the right words. "It sounded like I was listening to Zelda, and not… the 'princess of Hyrule.'" That was the first time he said her name without an honorific, and it felt like seeing a sunset in the Hebra mountains, or when she listened to the orchestral arrangement of her lullaby for her seventh birthday. Simply put, she was hearing something she had heard so many times before in a new and beautiful way.

That straight, stubborn line her mouth had always been in became a smile. Soft and beautiful.

"It gets tiring, doesn't it?" He asked, and she jumped lightly when she felt his fingertips brush against hers.

"What do you mean?" She breathed, trying to keep herself composed. Could he notice that she was trying? Was it as effortless as she hoped it looked?

"Being a statue?"

"A statue…" Zelda wasn't following.

"Before I had the privilege of meeting you in person, I knew your likeness from your portraits. Artists would paint you in a variety of clothes, poses, and hairstyles… but one thing would remain the same. That placid expression that is always on your face." Zelda brought a hand up to her cheek as he said this.

"And I thought to myself," he continued, "That it was so silly. You always looked so poised. So much so that it seemed unnatural. Because really, people aren't like that in real life. I thought, surely, the princess laughs, smiles, glares, frowns, pouts. And then I saw you in person, and while you're just as breathtaking as they always drew you—" her heart skipped a beat, and his fingers were on top of hers, no longer merely brushing them, "—they also accurately captured that same expression. It was true, your face doesn't betray much."

Is that good? Bad?

"But I will say, Zelda, a smile does suit you." He complimented.

She rewarded his words with another smile and she could have sworn he hadn't been sitting this close to her before. If she moved toward him just an inch, their foreheads would touch.

"It's… getting late." She said, feeling herself cower. It wasn't what she wanted to say. She would have stayed there with him until dawn, would have let his fingers linger on hers as they watched the sun rise together. But she was scared of too many things to count, of getting caught, of turning in for bed too late, of falling deeply in love…

"Yeah, I guess you aren't used to being out this late." Link said. There was a sad note to his voice and in his eyes that made Zelda's heart feel leaden with guilt. "Come on, I'll walk you back to the castle."

She put her cloak on and tightened it around her body closely. Link interlocked his arm within hers and they walked back to the castle together. As they approached the gate, Link turned to her, grabbing her hand.

"When will I see you again?"

Zelda gave him an odd look. "We see each other every day, Link."

"No," he shook his head, "I meant… like this. When will I see you again like this?"

That was what she was afraid of.

She shouldn't have come out here to see him, and once she did, she shouldn't have enjoyed it as much as she did. It shouldn't have felt so cathartic to talk to someone like this, and she couldn't say yes to another rendezvous. It was cruel and ironic that earlier that night she had been worried the connection she felt with Link was a farce only meant for their brief morning interactions.

Now a second possibility was forming, one far scarier than the first: there was genuine chemistry between her and Link, the kind that could develop into something deeper for both of them. If Zelda embraced that high, let it grow, let it blossom, knowing that it wouldn't be able to thrive, it would make the low so much more painful. This 'love' was destined to be kept to herself, in the confines of her diary, and in her heart and mind… Unless she could convince her father to let her marry a knight, which she was certain she could not.

"I can't make you any promises," Zelda told him, "This was nice as a one time thing, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to come again. I'm sorry." She apologized and pulled her hand away from his, gave him a bow—really it should have been the other way around—and rushed back to her chambers.

Link watched her run off, and felt saddened, but not for long.

---

The night wind melded nicely with the crackling fire that sat before them. Zelda's cloak was lying comfortably around her ankles, and her gown, a sultry red, hugged her body in a very flattering way that Link's wandering eyes had no problem admiring. And Zelda herself… Well, she was thoroughly humiliated. At some point, she would need to stop deluding herself with lies and empty promises. She wasn't going to keep them, not when it came to Link. She had told him she couldn't come see him again, yet here she was, one night later.

"So you spar?" Link was asking her.

She wasn't sure how it all happened; it seemed like a blur. One moment she was tossing and turning in her bed, the next she was climbing out of her window once more, and as she left the gate she quickly found Link not too far ahead of her.

"I knew you couldn't stay away," he had murmured to her as his arm found hers. She was certain those words would stick with her for a long time, how hot his breath felt against the nape of her neck, the sparkle in his eyes, the allure and grit in his voice. But what would stick with her the most was how he had been waiting for her despite her words from the previous night. She told him she wouldn't come, but he still waited for her faithfully. It was like her efforts to be an enigma were wasted, and in his presence she would always be transparent.

"Zelda?" He prodded when she didn't give him a response.

Zelda focused on him.

Oh, that's right. She thought, rubbing her fingers along the mug of oat milk he had purchased for her. Again. It was delicious. And he had been asking her a question.

They were having a conversation. They were… talking. They were… becoming friends?

In that moment it was all too much for her tender mind to handle.

"Yes," she pulled herself together, "I spar with Eagus at dawn twice a week. Impa also shows me some ancient Sheikah fighting techniques. I have much to learn, though."

"I'm sure that with all of your royal training you can kick some serious ass," Link said as he sipped his beer. He paused, and then corrected himself, "Uh, I mean to say that you're a formidable fighter, or something more like that."

Zelda gave him a lopsided smile.

"No, I liked the way you said it the first time." She told him, and that look of amazement was in his eyes again. "I wish that were true, but I don't think the training I receive now will help me reach my full potential."

"Forgive me if this sounds rude, but is it even necessary for you to 'reach' that potential? You have an army of men who are willing to die for you."

It was like he had forgotten their conversation the other night, and how much she resented that very fact. She frowned at him, and the look of disapproval on her face served as a reminder.

"Oh, right." He grimaced.

"Apparently I am asking for too much when I train. I don't want to be a helpless maiden; I want to be a warrior. Every princess and queen—no—every woman should be a warrior. I want to learn everything my knights know, and I want to exceed their skills."

Link blew a raspberry with his lips. "My, my. You've piqued my interest now. I still think you may be underestimating yourself if you have this much conviction." He smiled at her modestly, "You should show me your moves sometime."

Zelda studied his face carefully, trying to figure out whether or not he was flirting. "No," she shook her head in disagreement, "you should show me yours." She told him.

And she meant it.

How or why they had gotten to this point of conversation was beyond her. She stood up and walked away from the fire, rubbed her hands on her arms and stared at the night sky, the expanse of the stars and the bright, full moon. Before she fell for Link, she had visited her knights with envy, and a desire to see how they fought.

Now a new opportunity was unraveling. A chance to learn.

Link followed her after placing his beer near the log they'd been sitting at.

"Princess," he began, "If you're proposing what I think you are—"

"There's no pressure to say yes," Zelda was quick to assure him, "I just think I'd be able to learn a lot more from one of the top knights-in-training."

Link sighed doubtfully.

"Sir Eagus far surpasses me in both rank and experience. I think you're in good hands as you are, your Highness."

"Zelda." She corrected him, then added, "Eagus is a great knight but it doesn't translate as well to his instruction. He treats me like I'm made of glass. I need someone who won't."

"And you think that's me?" Zelda spared him a glance. He almost looked offended.

"You certainly don't treat me with the same delicacy as the other knights and squires do."

Link's eyes were piercing as he looked back at her, "I don't think that's the right word exactly."

Zelda shifted around awkwardly, hoping he didn't notice. "You… you know what I mean."

"I don't. You make me sound like some sort of ruffian, your Highness. And I told you, I'm a gentleman."

Zelda pointed to him, "You also said most of the time. Which means…"

"Nothing. Or at least, it doesn't mean I would put my hands on you in a disrespectful way." Then something flickered in his eyes as he said this, mischief perhaps, and he opened his mouth again, "Ah…" She already knew whatever he said next would be something lewd, but sensing her anticipation, the words he had planned never came out.

She tried not to let her disappointment show.

"Zelda," he said after a prolonged silence, in a more earnest tone, "I'm afraid this is where I would draw the line."

"...That's fine." Zelda said, and she tried to sound like she meant it, but it was hard, and she felt like Link could sense the strain in her voice.

His eyes were on her face, dismal at the straight line that her mouth was in, the expression she always defaulted herself to.

"It's just…" she continued, "I'm not as fragile as everyone thinks I am. That is all."

"I don't think you are fragile at all." Link told her, "And you don't need to prove that to me or anybody else."

"I'm not sure I believe that." Zelda said.

"I mean it, though." Link insisted. He was fully frowning now.

"Okay then, Link. Let me ask you this. If I were a prince, would you have this much hesitation in sparring with me?"

When she looked at him he was staring at the sky, but his eyes seemed to be looking at something far more distant, beyond their reach. And he didn't have a response. No witty remark, no comeback. It was all she needed to know that she was right.

"Believe what you will, your Highness." He said, and she didn't bother to correct the honorifics this time. She simply let out a tiny huff and turned back to stare at the moon. They stood side by side in silence, and Zelda considered a number of ways to go about apologizing.

She didn't want to argue. This was supposed to be a night of amity. Somehow she was now scolding Link for not wanting to throw a punch at her.

Then an impulse came over. It wasn't a very princesslike impulse, so she couldn't be sure why she had such a strong need to do it. Maybe, despite Link's words, she did need to prove herself, or maybe being in Link's presence made her feel more bold, more daring.

She swung her leg closest to Link carefully behind her in an arc. The movement was fast and when she brought her leg back it was angled behind Link's calves, which were resting next to each other peacefully. Her shin crashed into the back of his legs, throwing him off-balance.

Link never would have expected Zelda to make a move like this, and while it shocked him, his senses were always on alert. He caught the motion at the very last second, when it was too late to stop or dodge her. But his reflexes were still lightning fast, and in between the moment she had knocked him off his feet and he started plummeting to the ground, he managed to slip his arm around her waist and tug her down with him.

With a resounding thud, he landed on his back with Zelda on top of him.

They stared at each other, both genuinely stunned.

She almost got him. Almost.

She was breathing hard, her eyes as wide as saucers, her long blonde hair past her shoulders, tickling the sides of Link's face. With one hand, he parted it for her, tucking it carefully behind her ears. His touch lingered along her cheek.

"I told you I'm not fragile," she whispered.

"And I told you that I never thought you were." He replied.

The entirety of her body was draped over his. Their feet touched, and her head was far enough over his that his chin was tilted up just a bit as he looked at her. Zelda then tried to move herself down a little bit, so that she was angled underneath him, but he caught onto the action immediately, and tightened his grip on her middle so that she was fastened in that same spot. Before then, she hadn't realized his hand never left her waist.

"Where are you trying to go?" He asked her with an eyebrow raised and a devilish tone. She didn't know what to say, but he could see the pinkness increasing along her cheeks as her body temperature rose. "I can't count on my hand how many men dream of being in this very position."

Zelda wondered, with how close her chest was to his, if he could hear the way her heart was racing.

Then, she echoed two words she had said to him the other night. "Even you?"

Recognition flickered in Link's eyes and he grinned. His grip on her waist tightened even more, and the force inadvertently pulled Zelda down towards him even more, so that their faces were closer to each other than before.

"Especially me." He murmured, and Zelda couldn't stop her lips from turning upwards. He had a surprisingly nice scent when she came in really close. It wasn't too strong, a bit sweet, and very earthy.

"You smell like saffron." She told him.

He pinched her cheek lightly. "You smell like cinnamon." He replied, and his other hand started to slide up, caressing the small of her back.

Her lips were barely brushing over his when she felt the whole of his palm press against her back firmly, his hand that had been on her cheek made its way around her neck, and his legs locked around hers. He used the momentum to turn himself over until he was on top of her.

She let out a tiny yelp, realizing she was completely at his mercy, and he gave her a triumphant smile, shaking his head playfully.

"Zelda, Zelda, Zelda…" he clicked his tongue, and the way he spoke to her now, his voice low and devious, was doing something to her body that prior to this moment, she had only felt after sneak-reading her mother's old nightstand novels. "One of the first lessons of self-defense is to never let your guard down. And here you are, failing miserably."

Yes, she was failing, she abhorred failure, tried to avoid it like the plague. But now it had never felt more satisfying.

"Maybe you should help me review, then." She said breathlessly.

He considered it, quarreling with himself again over the ethics of what she asked of him. It certainly wasn't appropriate, but they had already crossed boundaries with each other in other ways. And most of all, he respected her desire to learn, and to improve.

"...Maybe I should." He finally relented.

And so began a series of pleasant and subtly romantic nights at the Fireball Tavern.

---

Dear Diary,

I am at an emotional crossroads. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Torn between duty and love. How many more cliches can I fit in here? I'll stop for now.

I have developed a companionship—Zelda's hand was trembling as she wrote this word—with my beloved squire. The one I've been writing about for the past few weeks… At first I thought he was just a tease. A vulgar, handsome tease. It turns out that he is far more than that. He is sweet, thoughtful, and funny. He challenges me in the best ways. He's taught me a lot in the realm of combat, and he doesn't hold back. He is lovely to talk to. He spoils me with as many mugs of oat milk as I would like, and we have a blast ordering all sorts of tavern foods.

It is wonderful. Lovely. And I never should have let it come this far. He is no longer some man I fancy. He is now my friend. And this complicates things greatly, because my need for him has increased tenfold. Now that I know how delightful he is, I want to have him by my side always. But I have an obligation to my people, and to my father. I can't marry him. Which means this can only end in one way: my heart irrevocably broken.

How do I reconcile my selfish wants with my land's needs? What do I make of this silly crush that is quickly blossoming into love?

Yours truly,

Zelda

---

People were beginning to notice.

Zelda was certain of it. In the mornings she was sleepier than usual due to her late nights with Link. But once she was fully awake, there was a more jovial note to the way she carried herself. Her smile and her laughter were infectious. She was more sociable with her other staff. Tatl, for instance, was always knocking on her door and offering to tidy up even when her room was practically spotless. And Zelda, high off of her happiness, thought nothing of it, and would talk to Tatl for moments at a time whenever she could.

And people were beginning to notice.

Her bosom was growing and her hips were wider, much to her dietitian's confusion and her dressmaker's horror. All the meals she was enjoying with Link at the tavern as well as their sparring had caused her to gain a bit of weight—most, but not all, of it muscle.

Impa probably noticed more than anyone else, but she said nothing of it.

"Your Highness, we'll have to resize your brassieres." Sophie said. She looked worried, and Zelda felt embarrassed, cupping one of her breasts.

Impa was behind Zelda, brushing her hair and parting it to braid. There were other servants better suited to helping her get ready, but Zelda would only let Impa do her hair. Before her untimely passing, Zelda's mother would always do her hair. Since Impa was the closest thing to a second mother that she had, Zelda had passed the torch onto her.

Impa gave Zelda's head a tiny pat, sensing her insecurity. "Won't take too long, right?"

Sophie shook her head, "I'll have a few ready in time for tonight. And your gown should be tailored as well."

Tatl sat on the desk near Zelda's vanity, nibbling on a cherry.

"So who is the lucky suitor you'll be meeting tonight?"

The door was pushed open, and in walked Chancellor Cole. His gaze was pointed to the ground.

"Our Highness will be meeting Prince Sidon," he answered. "I'm sorry for the intrusion. I hope everyone here is decent?"

"We were until you showed up." Tatl grimaced.

Chancellor Cole's head shot up and he gave Tatl a scathing glare. "Shouldn't you be helping your brother clean some rooms? Why are you here? And why are you eating those cherries?"

"Cole, I told Tatl it's okay for her to stay here while I get dressed for the day." Zelda said, not interested in listening to them bicker.

The tiny man still looked displeased. "Hmmph!" He crossed his arms. "Whatever. Not important. Princess, I've come with some notes about Prince Sidon. Some conversation points, things he likes, things he doesn't like—so you know what to avoid when conversing with him, of course!—and some of the issues he is passionate about. I want you to memorize as much of this as you can. He is a wonderful suitor whose hand in marriage could lead to a promising future." Chancellor Cole handed Zelda the notes, which were excruciatingly long, and rambled on. Zelda felt rather sick at the whole ordeal.

She knew Prince Sidon. He was handsome, kind and charming. He had a loud voice that caught everyone's attention and his energy was infectious. In his company, she would rarely get bored. There was only one problem, really. She wasn't in love with him.

"...Zora's Domain is rich in high-value gemstones, and one of our largest sources of fish along with Lurelin…"

All the words around her were white noise. She felt the tug of Impa's hands on her head, watched the dirty look Tatl gave Chancellor Cole, glanced at Sophie who was cutting strips of fabric. She felt empty, her mind stuck on the one man she truly wanted, the one man she couldn't have.

She didn't go to the tavern that night. Nor the next.

---

"Are you okay?" Link asked.

Zelda was sitting at their log with her mug of oat milk. She'd politely declined his offer of food, deciding that the beverage would have to do for now. She didn't want Sophie to have to tailor her clothes yet again. It also hadn't occurred to her that she had been completely silent up until that point.

Still, she nodded and gave him a weak smile, but it was clear that she was lying.

For the first time, she had walked to the tavern alone after two nights of absence. Link always waited for her a few feet away from the gate. Tonight, he didn't. Was two nights all it took for him to give up?

She rubbed her head. It was a futile thought. Link owed her nothing. And she owed him nothing. It wasn't fair of her to expect some unorthodox form of commitment from him, especially when she couldn't return the favor.

"I'm sorry," she whispered painfully. He wasn't supposed to hear, but he did.

"For what?" He asked.

That, she wasn't quite sure of. Again, she owed him nothing, but she felt like she had betrayed him somehow. There was nothing to apologize for, but at the same time, there was also far too much. For seeing another man? For not coming to the tavern for a couple of nights? For barely sparing him a glance when she came to the training grounds afterwards?

"...I don't know." She answered eventually.

Link leaned back and thought about what to say to fill the silence.

Zelda looked over to him, licking her lips as she sipped her milk. "I met with Prince Sidon a few nights ago."

Link blinked a few times as he considered her words. Then he cleared his throat.

"...Oh. Uh, I see." He looked and sounded wounded. Zelda wondered if it was wise for her to say that. Probably not. But the atmosphere between them had already been painfully awkward, so it didn't make much of a difference.

He straightened himself up though, did his best to seem unbothered, and gave her a supportive smile.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

He wasn't masking his displeasure well at all. But it was the effort that counted.

"Yes. Prince Sidon makes for lovely company." Zelda said coolly.

"He is a catch," Link agreed, though Zelda wasn't sure what he would have known about it. Maybe he wanted to seem happy for her. Maybe he was being genuine. Maybe this was a point of conversation they didn't need to have. Or maybe it was better to normalize this, so that neither of them developed any false expectations with each other.

After all, she was a princess. She was expected to marry a prince or a duke. Link was not ignorant to this fact.

"Handsome, lively, intelligent. And, unlike most royals, he doesn't seem like a total jackass." Link added, then gave her a wondering look. "Unless that's just for the outlets."

"No, he is very lovely." Zelda said, noting the disappointment on his face at her confirmation.

"Do you…" He tried to seem casual about it, "Do you think you'll marry him?"

Zelda pondered over her answer. "If I must."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that if it is in Hyrule's best interest, then I will."

"But do you want to?"

Zelda felt torn again, and this conversation began to feel spiteful. Of course I don't, she was thinking to herself. It felt like he knew, and he was trying to pull it out of her, trying to get her to say it. Which was mean-spirited. And evil.

"What I want doesn't matter." She knew she looked miffed, but it was less at Link and more at her circumstance, "Because I won't inherit my throne unless I marry."

Link seemed upset now, on her behalf. "That's ridiculous. You're King Daphnes's eldest and only child. It's your birthright."

"Apparently not," Zelda mused, "it is an archaic convention, but our monarchy still practices male-preference primogeniture. And since we have no male heir to take my father's stead, the compromise is for me to marry a man eligible to be King before I am crowned."

"Again, that is ridiculous."

"Tell me about it. My father and Chancellor Cole act like Hyrule having a Queen with no King would lead to calamity. Sometimes I wish we could take notes from the Gerudo province. They thrive under their matriarchs."

Link rolled his eyes at the mention of Cole's name, "Chancellor Cole. What's his deal anyway?"

At this, Zelda brightened and even let out a tiny laugh. "He is one of my father's closest advisors. They have known each other for decades."

"So… he's like family?"

"Pretty much my second father," Zelda nodded, "With all of the authority and none of the warmth. I secretly call him my 'royal pain in the ass,'"—Link snorted at this and it made Zelda indescribably happy— "but he does much for me and my family. Before he was elected, back in his youth, he was a socialite who knew just about every notable nobleman and woman. To this day he has an invaluable amount of connections and intel, so my dad will always send him to me whenever I must meet with Hyrulean nobility or royalty."

Link seemed rather timorous as she said this.

"And he's been playing matchmaker for you." He said flatly.

"Essentially. His choices aren't necessarily bad, but," Zelda sighed, lining her lips along her mug, "They simply aren't the kind of men I want to marry."

Link's ice blue eyes were tense and hopeful as he stared at her. His face flickered with the flames of the fire they sat before, and Zelda found that he was most handsome like this, an orange glow on his face, the shadows highlighting his contours as they danced.

"What kind of man do you want to marry?" he asked.

"A man with honor, a valiant fighter, and a steadfast devotion to his ideals."

"Sounds a lot like a knight," Link was smirking at her now, and she felt her body getting warmer as it always did in his presence, and the fire had nothing to do with it.

"...Yes, yes it does." Zelda licked her lips nervously. "If the choice were mine to make, I'd much rather marry a knight than a prince."

"And why is that?"

"Because," there was something bittersweet about the way she smiled as she answered, "I want to be with someone who is a little more down-to-earth. Courtship amongst monarchs is horridly depressing," she let out a dry chuckle, "It is all about politics. There is no love, no intimacy, no true happiness in such a union. I want to be loved and cherished. A prince will send for someone to defend me, but a knight will defend me himself."

Link pointed at her accusingly. "I thought you didn't like having legions of men to defend you."

Zelda poked her tongue out at him, "Yes, legions of men who are expected to serve me. That's different from being unconditionally protected by one man who loves me."

"A man who loves you would still serve you."

"As he should, but in that situation I would love and serve him as well."

They fell silent after that, eyes locked to each other as the world around them ceased to matter. Zelda's mind was running, on its own journey as she thought of a world where her and Link loved and served one another. She could supply him with cauldrons of beef stew while he gave her unlimited mugs of oat milk. After they sparred, he could kiss all of her tender wounds and they could fall asleep together after hours of talking and admiring the stars.

It was a beautiful and utterly hopeless fantasy.

"You know, knights and princesses have wed in the past." Link said innocently.

Zelda scoffed. "That idea is more commonplace in fairy tales, where they tout the mantra 'true love conquers all.' In reality, it is far more difficult to propose such an arrangement." Then, for whatever reason, she said, "Believe me, I've tried."

Oh, goddess! She didn't mean to say that, and now Link was going to become unbearably smug again.

"You have? Are you trying to court a knight, princess?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she huffed, turning away from him. "I want to keep my options open and varied, that's all." She could sense he wasn't buying it completely. "Really." She added as a cherry on top.

"Of course." He still sounded amused.

"It is difficult," she repeated, "But like you've pointed out, not historically unheard of. Knights are of nobility, so it isn't like I would be marrying a commoner or something like that."

For some reason Link seemed offended at this. From her peripheral vision she could see him squirming in his seat.

"Yeah, barely though. We're at the bottom of the barrel as far as nobility goes. Not much land and only really valued because of our service to the king."

"...Yes, but a noble is still a noble, and a knight could inherit lordship upon his father's death, and from there well…" Zelda was digressing, digging deep into the recesses of her mind for knowledge on the dizzying world of nobility and royalty, trying to blur the line between the two, selfishly trying to create a path of hope for her and Link to satiate her own fantasies.

"You've done your research," it was hard to tell if Link was commending her or teasing her when he said that, but it was safer to assume the latter than the former.

"A princess must stay informed," she said weakly. She was letting her desperation show, and the last thing she wanted him to think was that this was something she was praying for and pining after.

"Let's say," his voice was gentle and wistful now, "you find a way to marry your beloved knight. You are the sole heir to your throne. Your knight has no royal blood. The highest title he will be named, can be named, is a consort. But he'll never be a king, which means you'll never be a queen, and your father won't be pleased."

Zelda's throat felt dry.

"And… we're back to square one." She said sadly. Then she perked up, "But it sounds like you've done your research too."

When she looked at him he had a demure smile on his face.

"Would you believe me if I said it was part of my knightly studies?"

"Nightly? Or 'knightly'?" Zelda was laughing as she asked it and Link was relaxing more and more, seemingly enamored by the sight of her.

"Just answer the damn question, princess." He responded with a playful scowl.

"...No, I wouldn't." She said.

"Damn." He had both hands raised in defeat, "Fair enough."

She thought about what reasons Link would have to study up on the union between a knight and a princess. He was playful, and undoubtedly a flirt. But did he truly like her, or did he merely like to tease her? It was another reason Zelda knew she shouldn't have let herself get attached, despite foolishly continuing to do so.

It didn't stop her curiosity.

"What kind of woman would a knight want to marry?" She asked.

"That's a good question. You should ask one."

Zelda gave him a look, and he bristled underneath her stare.

"What? I am not a knight, not yet at least, so I can't give you a definitive answer."

"But…" Zelda never finished her sentence, nor did she even know what it was she meant to say.

"I'll tell you in a few moons after my dubbing," he said, and then after noticing how upset she looked, he smirked, "Unless you aren't interested in what any old knight is looking for in a woman, but what I am looking for in a woman."

Zelda puffed her chest and crossed her arms indignantly. "Why I never…! Hmph! If you're going to be like that then forget about it!"

Link watched her sulk, thoroughly entertained, then decided to give her a proper answer. "Come on, Zelda. Don't be like that. Here, how about I tell you." He moved so that he was sitting closer to her and she felt her body grow tense, anticipatory.

"My ideal woman would have to be… beautiful, of course. Though if I am in love with her, she will look good to me no matter what. Charitable, doting, intelligent…" Link's eyes grazed the whole of Zelda's body, from her chest down her torso to her hips, and her long, toned legs. "She must know how to fight, or have a penchant for learning to at the very least. Oh! And I'm quite fond of women who are taller than me," he smiled at the way her body reacted as he said this, "Hm… I also think I would like my future wife to have blonde hair."

Well, this was just dandy. Zelda was tempted to break the ice on the matter. She wanted to know—she needed to know… what did it all mean? The looks, the sly remarks, all of it… It was either painfully obvious that he liked her back, or that he was stringing her along for his own amusement. Both possibilities were drastically different and she didn't know how to approach the subject without being awkward about it.

Because if he didn't mean it at all, then that would hurt her.

And if he did, then that would hurt her even more, because nothing could come of it.

As Zelda reasoned through, she figured that it would be better to act clueless to their chemistry, to simply continue on amiably.

Instead she raised her mug and made a toast.

"Okay. Then here's to a beautiful, charitable, intelligent—"

"Don't forget doting," Link chimed in with a wink.

"—strong, tall, and blonde-haired woman." Zelda drank the rest of her oat milk in one large gulp. "That… certainly sounds like a woman worth chasing after."

"Oh," Link scratched his head, "I don't chase." The smile on his face never reached his eyes.

"You don't?" Zelda felt discouraged when he said this.

"Not when I know it's something I can't have." He finished his beer as he said that, looking like he wanted to be less sober than he currently was, and stood up, ready to walk away from the fire, and maybe even away from the conversation entirely.

And Zelda sat there, conflicted, wondering what it all meant.

---

Dear Diary,

I hate men.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

She underlined the word hate several times, and drew a picture of her stomping on Chancellor Cole's bloody corpse, though the entry itself could also easily be applied to her father, or even Link.

Damn them all, Zelda thought miserably.

---

"Do you think this dress makes my rump look big?" Zelda was scrutinizing herself in her full length mirror. At this point her weight gain had been noticed by virtually everyone in the castle, and she was trying to learn how to embrace her new shapely figure. She was wearing a lacy tank top gown that left much of her chest exposed. The amount of cleavage showing was borderline indecent, and not conventional for a princess to wear. When she had been slimmer, it didn't look as pornographic, and at the bottom it was able to flow and billow around her feet. Now, it hugged every curve snugly, outlining her figure in both a flattering and suggestive manner.

Tatl was eating from Zelda's bowl of cherries and ogling her body with envy.

"I'm going to say yes, but I promise it isn't a bad thing."

Even if Tatl meant well, it did feel like a bad thing.

Her face was fuller, her arms more brawny, her hips far wider than she could have ever imagined them being.

"Hm," Zelda hummed as she powdered her face and her collarbone with makeup, "Maybe I should wear a coat over this. My arms are huge. And I'm not sure I can cover up all of these bruises. Tatl, could you…"

Tatl spit out the cherry seed she had been chewing on and rushed over before Zelda could finish asking the question.

"Of course, your Highness!" She said happily, taking Zelda's powder and carefully tracing every inch of exposed skin. "You look super sexy by the way," she complimented, "I think you should wear this as it is. If anyone has a problem with it, they'll have to answer to ME!" She said fiercely.

Zelda giggled; no one was going to be intimidated by a tiny maid, but Zelda respected Tatl's energy, and was coming to appreciate her as a friend.

"Thank you, Tatl." She said graciously.

"I got you, girlie. Anytime you need to cover up any incriminating marks, just ring for me and I'll come running. Besides, how else are you going to show off?" She shimmied her shoulders as she said this, frills on her uniform swishing as she did.

"Show off?" Zelda echoed, not following.

"I mean, for your secret lover." She explained.

"Ah—you…w-what!?" Zelda stammered.

Tatl continued to brush the powder on Zelda's skin carefully, oddly calm and casual as she talked. "Oh come on Zelda, all your other servants will act oblivious but I won't. The sexy dress, you're always sleepy in the mornings, and these bruises girl…"

So she was guessing. That made Zelda feel a bit better. There was no way for Tatl to know she had been meeting with Link. Zelda covered her tracks well.

…Didn't she?

Nonetheless, she liked Tatl. She had been considering talking about her feelings. It would be healthy to have someone to talk to, aside from dumping all of her feelings into her diary. It was emotionally exhausting trying to navigate through her budding romance with Link, knowing it could go nowhere for either of them.

"What about my bruises?" Zelda asked, "they're from my training."

Tatl was wordless for a moment, then she started to laugh hysterically. "Zelda. Let's be real here. You're telling me these bruises along your chest are from your 'training'? I know Sir Eagus wouldn't dare to touch you like that."

"I mean… Where are you going with this?"

"You think I don't recognize a love mark when I see one?" Zelda was still lost. "You can't seriously be this naive. When you and your lover are sharing a moment of passion… And they kiss you a little too hard—"

Oh. Oh.

Zelda felt herself blanch.

She and Link had never shared a moment like that.

…unfortunately.

But Zelda couldn't explain to Tatl the situation in full, at least she wasn't ready to, and she was confident Tatl wouldn't believe her if she did, so it didn't matter.

"I promise you it isn't like that…" Zelda said, flustered.

"Fiiine," Tatl sighed, patting on the last of the powder. "I'll play dumb for now."

She quickly moved on, grabbing one of Zelda's small pots of rouge.

"Princess," she said while Zelda continued to examine herself in her mirror, "Put some of this on."

"Some rouge? Are you sure I won't look too risque?"

"You might as well go all out, your Highness. I'm sure your non-existent boyfriend will be impressed."

Oh goddess. Zelda could imagine Link's face, his eyes searing into every inch of her body… He would flirt with her, that was a given, and then she would pretend not to like it. Her body felt like a pile of mush as she fantasized.

"Just a little," she murmured as Tatl dabbed it on her lips.

The door to the room opened, but Zelda didn't fret over who it could be, until she heard a gasp of indignation.

"What on the goddess' green earth are you wearing!?"

Tatl nearly smudged the lipstick on Zelda's chin, glancing towards the ground in disgust behind Zelda like there was a worm that needed to be squished.

"What do you want Cole!?" Tatl hissed at him.

"That's Chancellor to you, we are not on a first name basis." He told her, then he rummaged through Zelda's wardrobe for something to cover up all the excess skin she was showing. "Princess, that is not an appropriate outfit to wear, unless you plan on tending to a street corner."

Zelda felt her stomach drop and Tatl could sense that she was clamming up. Zelda was almost concerned that her maid was even angrier than she was.

"How dare you!"

"Tatl, it's okay…" Zelda sighed.

"No it isn't! You can't talk to her like that!"

Cole looked completely indifferent. "After lunch, you have archery with Sir Revali, so it makes sense for you to wear something more athletic…" he sniffed the air disdainfully. "And less revealing."

Zelda crossed her arms over her chest, bringing her hands up to her shoulders.

"I know…" she said, discouraged. "I wanted to try something different."

Cole stopped searching through Zelda's things and studied her face. There was something in his expression Zelda couldn't identify. Pity maybe, or regret for what he had said earlier. Either way it was a form of gentleness she wasn't used to seeing from the Chancellor. "Just make sure you change before we head to the archery range. Revali is traveling from Ridgeland, and a trip like that is no cake walk. Especially since he's coming only for you."

"More like a chance to snag the crown," it was the kind of off handed comment that should have been said under one's breath—if it was truly even necessary to say at all—but Tatl was loud and clear about it.

"Makes no difference." Cole shrugged, and then he placed one of his packets on Zelda's desk. "Be sure to study this. Revali is… quite a rambunctious fellow compared to the other men you've met. That'll help prepare you."

Zelda nodded silently and the short, red haired man took his leave.

"Ugh, finally." Tatl said, cupping Zelda's chin as she admired the finished product. "You look beautiful by the way."

"It isn't too much?" Zelda was skeptical.

"Cole—oh! Pardon me—the Chancellor would probably say it isn't enough. But that doesn't matter. You should wear it throughout the morning! It's not like anybody can stop you. You're the princess."

There was supposed to be power and authority in that final word, Zelda mused. But really it was just a title. She had no power over her own life and choices, her days were planned out down to the very last detail, her suitors picked carefully by men who made no effort to learn what it was she liked or wanted. Nightly excursions to the Fireball Tavern as well as simply wearing this sexy black dress felt like her own way of defying the lack of choice she had in just about every other aspect of her life. But, like a coward, she struggled with whether or not it was the right thing to do.

"I don't know. Maybe Cole is right. Maybe I look too coquettish…"

"Don't be ridiculous! You look totally bad."

"Bad?" If Tatl was trying to be encouraging, she was doing a terrible job.

"Bad in a good way!" Tatl shook her head at Zelda's puzzled expression, "You really need to go out more, your Highness. Learn the colloquialisms. Anyway, don't worry about the Chancellor." She assured the princess, wiping her fingers and getting ready to head off, presumably to the King's chambers. "He's a pompous asshole. No wonder you want him dead."

Zelda's head shot up at that last remark. She wasn't sure what Tatl meant by that, or where she even got an idea like that. Sure, he was a massive headache inducer, but she wouldn't say she wanted him dead. But Tatl had already walked out before Zelda could ask what she meant.

She shook the uneasy feeling in her gut, gave herself one last onceover in the mirror, and then headed out for the day.

---

Zelda was used to attention, but not quite like this.

Her hands were folded together neatly behind her back and she walked as she always did throughout the castle, nodding at everyone respectfully. The general reaction of her subjects was a double take, or an extra, prolonged glance at her attire, more specifically the areas of skin that were being shown. It became scarier when she was crossing the training grounds for the knights, where there would only be clumps of men and no women to either ogle and compliment her or judge her outfit of the day. Her knights were instructed to be chivalrous and upstanding men, but Zelda could practically feel their eyes scouring every inch of her body when she wasn't looking. For a moment, she regretted not bringing a coat to cover up, then before she knew it she was approaching the squires' training grounds, and she could only think about one person, and how he would react to seeing her dressed like this.

The sound of her heartbeat had filled her ears, drowning out any external sounds; she saw polite smiles, waves, and lips moving to give her brief greetings, but heard none of it. Her world only came into focus when she saw Link assaulting a poor training dummy with some new moves he had most likely just learned during instruction hours.

He didn't even notice her at first, all of his concentration was on practicing his moves, perfecting them so that he could continue to be the best, and Zelda took the time to say hello to Groose and Ravio, who after getting a long look at Zelda, turned to wipe the drool off their mouths.

Link was now the only squire she hadn't said hello to, and he still had not acknowledged her existence until she cleared her throat to make her presence known, in a rather uncouth manner. It felt so juvenile. She was all but begging him to look at her. Princesses had a natural command for this sort of thing, and to add to the embarrassment she felt, Link was her friend! Trying to get a friend of all people to notice her should have been out of the question completely.

But once he did notice her, he couldn't look away.

He didn't have the cartoonish reaction of the other men - wide eyes, mouth hanging open so widely that a swarm of flies could colonize it, eyes darting between maintaining eye contact with her and sneaking a peek at her cleavage - but she could tell that he was awestruck in his own way. She saw it in the way his shoulders steeled and heard it in the sharp intake of breath. Then, carefully, he exhaled, kept himself cool and composed, and gave her a courteous smile.

"...Goddess," was the first word that came out of his mouth, and he said it in a whisper that made it hard to identify his precise tone. Zelda couldn't tell if he was using their lord Hylia's name in vain, or if he meant it as a term to describe what she looked like in that moment, and the ambiguity of that singular word was creating a rather visceral and unladylike reaction within her body. In fact, she felt her arm start to prickle with goosebumps and could only pray that Link didn't notice.

But as she looked at him his eyes were fastened to hers, not moving from her face at all.

"Is everything alright?" Zelda prodded, wanting him to say more.

"Yes," he nodded, stepping forward and turning his kendo stick upright so that it could rest on the floor. His cheek fell to the hilt naturally. He loved standing in that position, and Zelda loved watching him stand in that position.

"I just think you're b…" The word died on his lips, and it saddened Zelda more than it should have.

This was not quite the reaction she had anticipated or wanted. When he spoke again, his gaze fell to his shoes.

"I think you're bold for wearing that little ensemble," he said. "You have everyone around the castle rattled for sure."

Still not the reaction she wanted, nor the 'b' word she expected him to say, but she also hadn't stopped to think about what exactly her expectations from Link were.

"Do you think it looks bad?" She didn't want to let her insecurity show, so she kept a placid look on her face, and her tone was both regal and calm.

To her chagrin he laughed, like she had asked him a ridiculous question, and when his eyes met hers there was a more familiar mirth to them. "Your Highness…" his voice was low and intimate. "You could never look 'bad.' You look…" He sighed, and the mirth was gone. "You look like a painting." He was gripping his kendo stick even tighter than before as he said this, and somehow these words felt even more enthralling than being called outright 'beautiful.'

But it also felt sad. Why on Earth did it feel sad?

This was not their dynamic. Seeing her dressed so provocatively should have elicited a far more primal reaction from him. But he had no innuendo-laced comments to give her, no incessant teasing, no prolonged gaze at her figure in all of its glory. He smiled at her politely, but she could see the tightness in his lips and the turn of his eyebrows that shed light on a more accurate depiction of his mood. She didn't know exactly what it was; she could only guess.

But from her perspective, it looked a lot like longing.

"I like your moves," she shifted the topic because the sense of angst was gnawing at her, eating her alive.

"Thanks." He said, stealing a glance at the dummy he had been whacking at. "I can show you tonight," he paused, then added, "if you can stop by."

So he knew she was going to see Revali today. That addendum to his statement made it clear.

"I can." She told him, "My date with Revali is in the late afternoon, but not the evening, so I'll stop by the tavern."

Link briefly looked like a withered flower when he heard the word 'date,' but he blinked it away.

"Will you be dressed as you are now when you stop by?"

She raised an eyebrow at the question, placing her hands along her hips. "...Do you want me to wear this tonight?" All he had to say was 'yes' and she would happily oblige, but his answer was uncharacteristically safe.

"I want you to wear whatever you're comfortable wearing," he answered vaguely.

The whole conversation felt dry, but in a solemn way, and it was too acquaintance-y for Zelda's liking.

But even when her and Link were technically 'acquaintances,' there had been more spice to their talks than this.

Damn him, she thought. He was in his 'most of the time gentleman' mode, and it was grating at her soul. Zelda wondered what her late mother would think if she could read her daughter's mind. She would probably be turning in her grave right about now. What Zelda wanted, what she was craving from Link, was not being given to her. And really, if he was in his right state of mind, her desire would have been satiated from the moment he saw her.

Countless times before he had gazed upon her body in admiration or playful lust when she was dressed far more modestly. Now she stood before him sexier than ever, and his eyes remained locked on hers with honorable devotion. And what was particularly strange about it was that she couldn't sense any strain, or an exertion of self-control. No, he was looking into her face with genuine interest, like his eyes didn't care to wander anywhere else.

Zelda wasn't sure if she should have been flattered or greatly offended. It was respectful, too respectful, not what she expected of Link. And in a way, Link had inadvertently helped 'sculpt' this new body for Zelda, these jaw-dropping curves and toned arms, through their sparring and the foods they would eat at the tavern every night. Which, in her mind, meant he was the only man truly worthy of admiring it, or of commenting on it.

But he said nothing.

Ugh, what is wrong with me? Zelda grimaced at the onslaught of intrusive thoughts going through her head. Was she seriously questioning why Link wasn't objectifying her with the typical male gaze?

The tables were certainly turned this morning. Usually it was the other squires who would be extra respectful to her, while Link acted with a bit more vulgarity. Now it was the opposite. Maybe Link just liked to be different from the rest for the sake of being different; to keep her on her toes. Or maybe he was silently marking the difference for her between attraction to the physical, and an attraction to something more meaningful.

…Or maybe he wasn't really interested in her in that way, and she had been horribly misreading the situation the entire time.

She remembered the conversation they'd had the other night, the one that had rattled her thoughts and made her wonder if Link was simply flirting with her or truly falling for her.

"Well, I might cover up depending on how cold it is." She said after what felt like an eternity of silence.

"I'm sure you'll look lovely regardless." He told her.

Zelda scratched her head and took a step back, signaling that she was going to make her leave. "Thank you Link. I'll see you tonight." She turned to walk off, then stopped, and looked back at him. She did this a couple of times, enough for him to notice she was struggling with whether or not to say something else to him.

"Is everything alright Zelda?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah…" she said, but she was frowning. "Er… I was actually going to ask you that question. You don't seem like yourself."

Link blinked a few times, and she imagined that the look on his face was what her face looked like all the time to him, because she couldn't decipher it at all. Then he swallowed and gave her a polite smile, tilting his head to the side.

"Yes, I'm fine." He answered, and for the first time that morning he allowed his eyes to wander and admire her form, but even though he was now looking at her…

It still wasn't the reaction she wanted.

His eyes met hers again and he looked dead inside. "Revali is a lucky man, your Highness. I hope you find what it is you're looking for."

I already have, is what she would have said if this were one of her nightstand novels where the leading lady makes her dramatic profession of love and gets her happily ever after. She was realizing that she would never find it again, not with someone else. She could learn how to come to peace with that eventually, but right now it was creating a personal hell she couldn't bear to exist in. And yet she was standing there awkwardly, rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet, indifferent to the stares around her, unaware even of the fact that she was staying there, waiting for something from Link, when it made more sense for her to walk away. What was she waiting for? Another word? Another conversation?

He noticed before she did, and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"You have your assessment today, right? On the teachings of Rauru."

That's right. Before she met with Revali she was going to be taking a test on her philosophy readings. She and Link had both talked about it in detail. She wasn't sure if he was reminding her to get her away from him, or trying to make small talk since she had just been standing there like a fool. Either way she snapped out of her reverie and turned to look towards the palace.

"Yes, I do. I… I should get going."

"Yeah, probably." He said, "Remember what we talked about. Don't overthink the Light passage. Keep your responses concise, less is more. You've got this." His words were like droplets of honey in her favorite tea. Sweet and calming. She smiled, but walked forward and didn't look back at him.

"Thank you," she called back to him. He said nothing in return but she could feel his eyes on her back, and that odd, warm pressure stayed even when she was far away from him, out of sight, long gone and back on the palace grounds.

---

"How was it?" Link was asking. Zelda brought her head up groggily and yawned, as if she had just awoken from a century slumber. She hadn't been sleeping though. And she hadn't been tired at all that day, so she wasn't sure why her body decided to feel fatigued now of all times. Her mind was wandering as it often did. Link seemed normal, but she couldn't tell if he was masking the sadness that she had witnessed that morning, or if he was actually okay. She looked at him blankly, and he clarified, "Archery with Revali. Did you enjoy yourself?"

At the mention of the Rito's name she scowled. Revali was obnoxious, just like Cole had warned her. But she could tell that underneath the arrogance there was a pure heart. It just wasn't a heart that she could accept, nor was it a heart she could unify with her own. And… she didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want Link to feign a sense of normalcy and indifference by talking about her suitors.

He noticed the look on her face and leaned towards her. "What's wrong?"

"We… we don't have to talk about my suitors, Link." She said after taking a sip of oat milk.

Link remained silent for a long moment, unsure of how to proceed.

"O…kay." He dragged the word out, watching her cautiously, as though she were about to detonate at any moment. "If that's what you want."

Zelda sighed.

"Yes, that is what I want. But is it not also what you want?" She turned to him, and she was sure there was an accusation in her eyes and in her voice, one that was a little too aggressive considering Link hadn't actually done anything wrong, but she couldn't help it. "Do you really want me to tell you about all of the men I have to court?" Perhaps she was inquiring not simply for his sake but for her own validation, to see if there was any hint of hurt within him, any reason to believe he cared for her in a deeper way.

She saw a flash of emotion in his eyes, a brief signal that told her she was correct. His nose crinkled.

"I was just trying to make conversation, your Highness."

She was ready to correct him again but she quickly stopped herself. She came to learn that Link chose his words carefully, and whenever he addressed her formally, there was meaning behind it. Most likely, he was protecting himself, or reminding both of them that Zelda's authority would always act as a barrier between them, no matter how much they tried to climb over it.

"I knew him once," Link pressed on, aware that he was treading the thin line that was Zelda's patience. She was able to quell her frustrations at these words though, her angst replaced with curiosity. How could he have come to know someone like Revali?

"You did?"

His lips curled up and his eyes were clouded with nostalgia. "Yes. Before I came to the castle."

"Were you two friends?"

"Quite the opposite," his gaze dropped to his hands. "We were rivals. He had a strong personality. Still does, I'm pretty sure."

Zelda nodded in confirmation.

"My dad and I never traveled much together, but he stole away to take me to Rito Village. He was good friends with the elders there. I met Revali. He was training to become an archer. He was a total bully. Poked fun at me for being short and scrawny. I couldn't do much to defend myself at the time, so it definitely sucked." Link laughed even though it didn't sound all that funny. "But all his prodding pushed me to train myself in the art of combat, to become a greater warrior than him. It was petty. I wanted to spite him."

Zelda was staring at him, waiting for his eyes to find hers.

"So is that why you came here to train as a knight?"

"Yeah, if you want to simplify it, I guess that was one of my initial motivations." He looked up at her eventually. "I have better reasons to fight now, though."

Her heart was soaring again, without her consent. She leaned back, away from him, pulled her legs together a bit tighter, wrapped her arms around her stomach. He didn't know what to make of the actions.

"Was… was Rito far from where you lived?" She tried to direct the conversation elsewhere in a normal way.

He scrunched his nose, seemingly dimmed at the way she dismissed his comment, and turned from her again. "Sort of. But the trip didn't seem long, because I was just happy to see my dad. Even if…" he sighed. "Even if things between us weren't perfect. It was a nice change of pace."

She wanted to ask more about his dad, but he looked like a ghost of his normal self, and now it was her turn to tread lightly.

"Tell me about your home," she said instead. "Where did your family raise you?"

He seemed hurt by the word 'family,' but composed himself as if remembering where he was and who he was with, and answered her in his usual, friendly tone.

"From here, it's directly north. In the Woodland Region."

Zelda brightened with fascination at this. "Oh, wow," she marveled, "The Great Forest is absolutely stunning. Not many nobles live there either." It was an unorthodox place to call home, but the forests were beautiful, fabled to house the sword wielded by the Hero of Legend.

Link gave a dry laugh, or was it a nervous laugh?

"Nope, we're a rare breed. Too many push for mass deforestation to make way for more land, which the natives greatly object to of course. And, well… without their permission, the nobles have to worry about upsetting the forest spirits."

"In the end, nature governs us all." Zelda said, bringing her mug up to her lips.

"Indeed," he agreed, turning his own Stein glass over in his hands thoughtfully. "I didn't live there forever though. Obviously. I moved closer to Central Hyrule to live with my father. Worked hard as a page for a few moons and…" he made a few lazy gestures with his hands. "Now I'm here."

Zelda was watching him strangely. He caught notice of it quickly, feeling her eyes bore into him.

"What?" He asked her.

"I might have misheard you," Zelda mumbled, "Did you say you moved closer to Central Hyrule to live with your father?"

Link looked as if he had been caught committing a crime. He kept himself together though, and responded coolly. "We moved together. From the forest. It was, uh… We just knew we weren't going to stay forever."

"Why didn't your mom come with you?"

Link swallowed the beer he'd been drinking extra hard at this question before giving her a candid answer.

"She died."

Oh.

"I'm so sorry…" Her brows were furrowed and she reached out to grab his hand. He didn't pull away but he also didn't seem comforted by the consolation.

"Zelda," he said, a tinge of humor in his tone, "you don't have to use that voice. I'd much rather you didn't."

"What voice?"

"The 'grief' voice." He replied, looking at her. "You know, the 'my condolences' or 'I'm so sorry for your loss!'" He nailed her tone down so perfectly that she felt embarrassed.

"Oh… Well." She cleared her throat, "We can go back to talking about Revali if that's easier."

At this he laughed. Zelda's lack of hesitation to talk about something that brought her discomfort to save him from his made her all the more endearing. She felt his hand wrap around hers.

"I don't mind talking about it with you," he assured her gently, "I haven't really talked about it since I came here. Or… ever."

"That's awful."

"It's life I guess."

"What about your father? He never talked to you about it?"

Link didn't answer for a long time, taking a moment to breathe. But when he did, his exhale was shaky.

"No. He remarried fairly quickly. And his new wife didn't like to hear about her, so…"

Zelda squeezed his hand sadly. "Maybe he kept quiet about his grief because he didn't want you to see him vulnerable."

Link scoffed. "I doubt that."

"It's a lot better than thinking he never cared at all." Zelda shrugged. "My father was the same way when my mother passed. I coped with his silence on it by concluding that that was the reason."

Link glanced at her in surprise. "That's right. Your mom died too, not too long ago."

Zelda gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Another thing we have in common, huh? Dead mothers. Emotionally walled off fathers."

"I'll drink to that," he said, lifting up his glass. She clanked it with her mug and they tilted their heads back as they drank. The hands that weren't holding on to their drinks were still holding on to each other. Zelda felt his skin against hers more strongly now, once his finger began stroking the length of her hand, thumbs brushing over each knuckle.

"I forgot about your mom," he whispered. His face was full of guilt. "I forgot she died, I mean." He didn't say 'sorry' but she could hear the apology in his tone of voice.

"It's okay." She forgave him.

"I…" He paused, considering how to phrase whatever he was going to say next, "I shouldn't say I forgot that she died. It would be impossible to forget a tragedy like that. Hyrule mourned her for months. We pay tribute to her every day. But I always thought of her as Hyrule's Queen. I guess what I really forgot is that… she was also your mother."

He relaxed a bit after saying that, but his eyes were full of concern when he saw Zelda's face. "Zelda?" He reached out and grabbed her cheek with his free hand, catching tears Zelda hadn't even realized were falling.

Zelda startled, letting out a sniffle as she gently pushed his hand away so that she could wipe her own tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm sorry." She covered her face.

"Hey." He said sternly, "What are you apologizing for?"

"I don't know." She admitted, "I… I needed to hear that, I think."

Wordlessly, he placed his glass on the ground and took her mug out of her hands to do the same, pulling her into a full and warm embrace. It felt so right, being in his arms. His head rested along her shoulder.

"Everyone forgot. My father became hollow. Existential. He stressed over his own mortality, which put more pressure on me as the future of Hyrule. He amped up my training and studies. Had Cole pass me around all the suitors across the land in hopes of a marriage. There was no time to properly grieve."

"Do it here then. With me." He told her, his mouth moving against her neck. She shivered at the sensation of his mouth on her skin.

"Link…" She pulled back. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" He seemed more upset at her slew of apologies than whatever it was she felt bad about. "Why are you still saying that?"

"I didn't mean to make your mother's death about mine. That was selfish."

"No," Link shook his head, "I'm glad you talked to me about it. The more I learn about you, the more I…" he trailed off, but there was a tiny smile on his face.

She smiled back.

"Nobody really mourned my mother when she passed," he said. He seemed more ashamed of it than sad.

"It's a cruel thing. To see everyone else's world keep going when it feels like yours has stopped." Zelda responded.

Her words resonated with him deeply. She could see the emotion in his eyes, could see the way it traveled through his body.

"Yeah," he agreed in a painful whisper. "Exactly."

"We should honor her." The suggestion was sudden, and caught Link off-guard.

"...Honor her? How?"

"We could plant a tree of remembrance somewhere. Anywhere you want. Every year, the Great Deku Tree sends us a rare sapling. It can go on to live for thousands of years. My dad has a handful of them but hasn't really made use of them. I might be able to convince him to let us have one."

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Link said.

"It's a good thing you aren't asking, then. Because I'm offering. These trees will live on far longer than you or me or anyone in our lifetime. It'll be a long-lasting reminder to this Earth that she existed. And that you loved her."

Link contemplated it for a good while. He looked apprehensive, but eventually he accepted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'll try," she said, aware that she couldn't make any definitive promises, which thankfully, he understood.

"Okay." His eyes were gleaming now. She could tell that the fact she would try to make such a gesture meant the world to him. It was wonderful and scary, how easily grief could mix with happiness. Yet it was necessary to unify the two.

They didn't spar that night, instead choosing to talk about simpler things. Zelda had done well on her assessment. Link went inside and ordered her a small cake to celebrate. She insisted they share it, swapping bites between one fork. When Link walked her home that night, they didn't lock their arms together as usual, instead they held hands.

"Sweet dreams, your Highness." Link said when they finally arrived. He was holding on to her hand much tighter now, like he didn't really want to say goodbye.

"You too," Zelda replied. "Don't stay up too late."

He smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist for another 'friendly' hug, though at this point it felt like they were just finding excuses to keep touching each other.

"Never," he murmured. He took his sweet time pulling away from her, but once he did, he bowed his head courteously, as if they had gone from companions to acquaintances again, and walked away. She watched him go, bringing her arm up to wave at him even if he couldn't see it.

---

Dear Mother,

I find it most appropriate to address tonight's entry to you. I talked about you today for the first time in forever. It was nice. To grieve with somebody who understands what it feels like to lose a parent. To grieve with someone that isn't myself, my diary, or Impa. I miss you so much, mother. You're the only person I trust to talk about how I feel. And I know that if you were here, you would find a way to help me get the only thing I really want.

I love him, mama. Beyond hope. Beyond reason.

Zelda felt the tears rollingdown her face as she wrote this, and as the droplets fell onto the page, the ink started to bleed. Just like her heart.

I'm begging, praying for some sort of miracle.

And I can't say that I don't know what to do when it comes to him, because I know exactly what to do. I just don't want to do it.

Being in his presence is equally the easiest and hardest thing in the world.

There was so much more to write, but Zelda didn't have the will to finish. With a trembling hand, she cut her entry short.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

When Zelda woke up, it was to the sound of the rain's gentle pitter-patter on her windows.

Spring was in full swing in Central Hyrule, and while rain was not completely unheard of during the spring, it was highly unusual for Central Hyrule's climate. Springtime was usually temperate and dry. Such weather was more common around the coasts of Necluda and Faron where the climates hosted year round rain.

Perhaps it was the first sign of a bad omen. Zelda had the most unsettling rumble in the pit of her stomach. If someone with a less superstitious mind, such as Chancellor Cole, could hear her thoughts he would probably scoff at her for being paranoid. But Zelda had learned that her intuition was an invaluable thing to hold onto. Her mother always told her to trust her gut. It was one of the first and most consistent lessons Link told her whenever they sparred and he noticed her overthinking her movement. Even in her history lessons, her ancestors were known to have prophetic dreams of calamity right before it struck.

Granted, this feeling of unease wasn't as drastic. But Zelda could sense it. Things falling apart.

She couldn't go to the training fields; by the time she'd get to the squires her regal garments would be soaked. She had no idea how long the rain would hold up, or if her and Link would even be able to go to the tavern. They always sat together outside, while the squires made all the ruckus they could inside. She was frustrated with the lack of reliable communication with Link, but she did not let herself despair. Instead, she set her eyes on another destination that would have to substitute her greetings to her up and coming knights before she went off to her instruction with Gaepora.

She tried to find cover wherever she could as she sprinted across the palace grounds. A deep but feminine voice frightened her as she reached her destination.

"Ah, so we're visiting the greenhouse today." Impa said from behind. Zelda nearly jumped out of her bones before turning to face her nursemaid.

"Impa," she scolded, "How did you find me here?"

"I followed you."

Zelda blinked. Impa was skilled in the art of stealth, like many Sheikahs were trained to be. She knew that Zelda disliked it, but it did not matter because Impa worked under the command of Daphnes, and she was to supervise Zelda—whether Zelda was aware of it or not.

"Figures."

"What are you doing here?" Impa asked, placing a guiding hand on Zelda's back so that they could continue their conversation inside of the greenhouse instead of outside.

"I have a few minutes before I meet with Gaepora, so I decided to come here in my tiny window of free time."

"What for?"

"One of the Great Deku's saplings. Father never plants them, so they just collect dust when they could be somewhere in the fields of Hyrule blossoming."

"They're quite valuable. Do you think he is willing to part with one so easily? What do you need it for?"

"I want it for a friend."

Impa spared her a glance, and with a stoic expression she asked, "Would it be for your squire, Sir Valor?"

Zelda stood more properly at the mention of his name.

"What makes you think that?"

Impa shadowed her when she went to the training grounds. Impa knew that Zelda greeted all the squires every day, as did Chancellor Cole. It was no big deal. But Zelda didn't want Impa to think she had favorites, because that simplest observation could lead to other assumptions and...

Well. That was how scandals got started.

Even if Impa was her trustworthy nursemaid and personal guard, what if her father found out? What if she inadvertently said something to Cole? Cole was far less trustworthy. Oh, goddess.

Impa's nose twitched, and she gave Zelda a tiny smile. She knew. But she wasn't going to say anything.

"I'll tell your father you want one as a diplomatic gesture to one of your suitors."

"That's genius…" Zelda wanted to kick herself for not thinking of that.

"I know. Now don't linger around too long; the rain is only going to fall harder and it's better if you get to your study as quickly as possible."

Much to Zelda's dismay, the rain didn't let up for the rest of the day. Even in the evening, it went from pouring to a persistent, obnoxious drizzle. The gods had decided that, at varying degrees, the skies would continue to shower the lands of Central Hyrule.

But that didn't keep Zelda from wandering. Her body wasn't tired. Her body wanted to walk, run, and climb. Her mouth wanted to talk, whisper, and laugh. The castle walls were slick from the rain and it was too dangerous for her to scale the walls outside of her bedroom. Instead, she slipped into one of her less extravagant cloaks, the material made of rough wool instead of smooth velvet, and left the palace from the inside. She couldn't go to Fireball. Since it was raining, she and Link wouldn't be able to sit at their usual spot outside, and staying inside would pose a risk of her being found out by the other squires. Even walking out of the exit she had chosen to walk out of was a gamble. She did not know her knights' rotations here as well as her usual pathing. But it was a risk she was willing to take. She walked carefully, letting the rain mask the sound of her non-slip boots.

She walked and walked, water accumulating along her cloak, dripping from her hood onto her flushed cheeks, until she reached the empty, muddy training grounds for the squires.

It was the only appropriate place to come to. She hadn't been able to visit them that morning, so why not pay a visit at night? Even if no one was there to greet her. It dawned on Zelda, in that moment, that she had never seen the grounds at night. It was simple, the view of the sky and the stars not too different from the view outside of Fireball. All it was missing was the crowded buildings of Castle Town in the far distance. She wiped water from the bottom of her nose when someone from behind called her name.

She turned around, surprised and elated to see Link standing just below the edge of the roof of their quarters.

"Link?" She fully expected him to be at the tavern. The fact that he wasn't meant he knew they wouldn't be able to converse the way they usually did, and he had likely decided it wasn't worth his time. She grinned. Then, without much thought, she ran to him, nearly tripping over her own feet to give him a hug.

"Woah there," he laughed, catching her in his arms perfectly. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Zelda found herself panting, breathless. She had barely run a few steps to get to him. "I was just walking."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Wouldn't sleep."

Link regarded her for a moment, then pulled her closer to him, so that she was fully under the roof. He pulled her hood off of her head, and traced the side of her cheek.

"You're cold."

Zelda leaned into his touch, reaching up to grab his hand, but he pulled it away right before she could.

"Would you like to come inside?" Link tilted his head towards the doors to their sleeping quarters. Zelda remained stationary, feeling her boots sink into the wet dirt. It wouldn't do for her to follow him to his room. Maybe this was the cautionary omen she needed to pay attention to.

But…

It was Link. She could trust him. Sure, they were far more isolated here than at the tavern. Sure, it would be just them, and there would be no crowd of squires just a few feet away. None of that mattered. He wouldn't take advantage of her. And the alternative was trudging back all the way back to the castle after hardly a moment of rest.

She followed him inside.

The inside of Link's barrack-room smelled like wood and sweat. Twelve beds lined one side of the wall, a set of drawers lined the other. On the window sill in front of what she could only assume was Link's bed sat a lantern with a healthy flame. They walked over to it, and Link sat on the floor near his bed, patting the top for Zelda to sit.

"Oh." Zelda's lips puffed a bit in an adorable pout, touched by his consideration. He could probably tell she was nervous, following him to his bed late at night. He was playing it safe, setting up a boundary. "Thank you, Link."

He nodded, watching her every move intently. She slipped out of her cloak and folded it up neatly, briefly pausing to look for an appropriate spot to put it.

"Let me," he said, grabbing it and placing it on top of his drawer. He settled back on his spot on the floor while Zelda sat on his bed. She glanced at his lantern. The flame inside was dancing to the wind that blew outside; the wax was dripping along the sides and hardening at the bottom. She thought of it as an hourglass. Once it melted completely, the flame would be gone. Would that be her cue to leave?

Link followed her gaze and spoke. "When it rains like this, I like to stay in and read by candlelight. No matter the weather, the other squires still love to get drunk. I'd argue the rain gets them even more excited to leave. I was like that once." He turned back to look at her. "Not anymore, though."

Zelda could feel her chest heaving, caving. She had to say something normal, otherwise she was certain she would die from the want.

"What do you read?" She asked.

He reached over, feeling underneath his pillow and pulling out a novel. He handed it to her. She had been half-expecting him to pull out an assigned reading for his studies; she was pleasantly surprised by the actual book.

"Cotera's Forever, Fornever. This is a classic."

"Her critics say it was her magnum opus. So naturally, I had to read it."

"I never pegged you for a romance guy."

Link gave her a dirty look, but she could sense the playfulness behind it. "Seriously?"

"I meant when it comes to leisurely reading, you ass." He laughed at her, eyes lit up at the level of comfort they'd achieved, where his vulgarity had rubbed off on her in the best of ways.

"Can you blame me? The plot is most intriguing," he waggled his eyebrows at her, "A royal who throws caution to the wind because they're madly in love with a commoner—"

"I know what it's about." Zelda said, perhaps a bit too harshly. It was one of her mother's nightstand novels. The parallels that she could draw from the protagonist's dilemma cut a bit too close to home, and Link, as always, was too aware. But he didn't seem offended by her cutting him short, in fact, he seemed to find it funny.

"I'm sure you do, your Highness." he teased as he slid the book back to her slowly, then leaned back to rest on his elbows.

Zelda grabbed the book absentmindedly, even though it was the furthest thing she was interested in. Her eyes were on Link and she knew she was staring. She admired the outline of his muscles, and the rainy dampness of his nightshirt that made them much more visible than they already were. She then thought of her own attire, underneath her cloak. Before her impulsive decision to run to the barracks, she too had been dressed in her night garments. Her nightgown was silky, low-cut, and clung to every curve of her body. She smoothed over the side of her hip self-consciously. Link's eyes flitted to the movement quickly.

She had a small epiphany. She didn't need to worry about what Link might try to do with her in his room. He was a most-of-the-time gentleman. It was her that needed to be controlled. She wanted to cuddle up next to him, for his hands to roam over her body the same way his eyes did, to feel his mouth on her neck and chest.

These weren't thoughts a princess was supposed to have. Not about a man she didn't intend to wed. And Zelda would never be able to marry Link. So she swallowed her desire—if only it were that easy—and fastened her gaze to the bed sheets beneath her.

"How often do the knights bring women back to their quarters for company?" It was a random and likely unsettling question to ask. It would definitely shift the mood and distract her from how badly she wanted him. She could hear Link's body shifting on the wooden floors, but she couldn't be sure if it was from discomfort or something else.

"Fairly often. It's mostly the higher-ranking knights escorting noblewomen on their arms. Their rooms are much more spacious and yield more privacy than ours, so that's part of it I suppose. The squires will usually try to woo the merchants. There's this one young woman, Karane, that Pipit and Cawlin both fancy. Keep that to yourself though."

Zelda laughed a bit at this, always open to new gossip, but tried to keep herself reserved. Then her face went stony, and she glanced at him as she prepared herself to ask a question she wasn't even sure she wanted an answer to.

"What about you?" She eventually said, and their conversation was slowly beginning to feel like an interrogation. "Do you bring many women to your bed?"

Link frowned at her and she felt a deep sense of regret, but she couldn't take it back, and there was a part of her that was curious. She wasn't yet sure of what she would do with the answer.

"A few. But it's been a couple of months."

Zelda tried to calculate how long she had been going to Fireball. The weeks had passed by quickly, so she had to think back to the date after her outing to Mabe. It added up. Loosely. He had been bringing other women to his bed when he was teasing her, while she secretly doted on him and wished to know him better. It should have been heart-shattering. It was heart-shattering. She suddenly wanted them to swap spots, wondering if sitting on the floor would make her feel less filthy than on his bed, knowing he's tousled in the covers with Hylia knows who. But she couldn't fault him for any of it.

"Not any as of late, if that's what you're worried about." he added. "I wouldn't disrespect you like that."

She made an odd sound, meant to signal disapproval.

There was nothing for her to worry about. Nothing for him to disrespect.

He had absolutely no commitment to her, and if it were possible, she had even less commitment to him. He knew she went on dates and events with all sorts of high-status men. She purposely convinced herself that the pain in his eyes every time it came up in conversation was pure coincidence. He was probably trying to comfort her, to quell her jealousy. But she wasn't jealous. She was, but at the same time she wasn't. She didn't have the right. She didn't need him to appease it. She just needed to do her best to be mature about it.

Her nose was slightly upturned as she said her next words.

"Don't say that."

"What?"

"You can do as you please, Link. It is not my business what you or the other squires participate in behind closed doors." Zelda's eyes shone in the flickering candlelight. If eyes could tremble, then hers certainly were. She could feel the twist of her heart, and she knew Link could plainly see it. She was saying one thing, but emoting another. She was silently and selfishly begging him to never bed another woman again.

"Zelda," he started, wanting to come closer to her. He seemed conflicted. She wasn't the only one experiencing a complicated web of emotions.

"Forgive me for bringing up the topic so abruptly," Zelda said in her most formal tone. "As you know, I don't usually do this sort of thing. I think it would do both of us well if I iterate that whatever you've done with your past… visitors, won't be happening here, with me." He didn't need the reminder. If anything, she needed it more than him. And he took issue with it, straightening up with a miffed expression, as if she had just spat on his favorite pair of shoes.

"And what if we've already done something that I've done with my 'past visitors'? Such as discussing romance novels?"

Somehow that felt more offensive than the thought of him fornicating; him simply talking to another woman the same way he talked with her, sharing and forging a genuine bond.

Zelda remained stern. "You know what I meant when I asked if you've brought women to your bed. Don't be smart about it now."

"Fine," Link huffed. For a while, there was nothing but silence. Then he said, "You're hurting my feelings."

That left a notable pang in Zelda's stomach. She wasn't expecting him to be so forthright about his emotions, but she could see plainly in his eyes that he did not like arguing with her. She didn't like it either.

"I know you're trying to guard your honor, but I wasn't going to do anything inappropriate with you. It isn't like I planned all of this out. By chance, you were out there in the rain and I invited you inside because I wanted you to be safe and warm."

Zelda loosened up a little and looked on at him sympathetically. "Link—"

"I know that first impressions are important and I probably didn't give you the best one when we met. But, really, you have to give me a little more credit than this. You're my…" he swallowed, like the next word he was going to say was difficult. "My friend, Zelda. And I'm not that type of guy. I would never do anything to disrespect you, complicate your responsibilities to the Crown, or endanger you."

He already kind of did that second thing. But the sentiment remained.

"I know, Link. You're a good man. I didn't mean to imply otherwise." Zelda leaned back, letting herself collapse on his bed fully. Her back was splayed against the mattress as she stared at the ceiling, at the way the wood darkened as water seeped through the roof. "I'm just tired, I guess."

"I can walk you back to your room if you'd like." He offered.

"No, not that kind of tired. I'm tired of not talking about this."

"This?"

Why bring it up now? Because she felt like something bad was going to happen? Because she was sure the rain signified some sort of bad luck and she had to investigate it, to seek it out before it could sneak its way up on her?

She sat up and pointed between the two of them, as if there were a thread that was keeping them tethered to each other.

"This. Tell me, Link. And speak with nothing but candor. Why did you start inviting me to the tavern?" She needed him to say it, to put it out in the open. It was risky, it could end in disaster, but maybe… maybe if they could talk it out then…

"I believe I made my intentions clear that day."

"You did. But the events that followed made it a bit murky. If you wanted me there to 'get to know the squires,' why was it always you and me in the back together? By ourselves?"

He didn't say anything for a long time. She worried he might try to change the subject. "If you wanted to, you could have gone inside and mingled with them. It would have been risky, but the choice was within your grasp. I wouldn't have stopped you."

Zelda didn't like being challenged, not like this.

"Link." She said, her voice was far more tender now, a plea for the truth. She knew that when she sounded like this, he wouldn't say no to her. He obliged.

"You really want to know? Why I invited you in the first place?" His tone became lighter, humored. His eyes were dreamier than usual, like he was reminiscing on a funny memory.

Zelda softened up some more, sensing that there was an inside joke she wasn't allowed to be a part of.

"Yes. Tell me."

"Well, your Highness, I have valuable intel from sources who work closely to you. They tell us you fancy one of the squires who train in the royal court." Wordless, Zelda stared at Link bemusedly and he simply gave her a mischievous smile. "They believe it to be me."

Zelda continued to stare at him blankly, her brain felt like it was moving in slow motion, piecing what he'd just told her all together. When she came to, the revelation hit her like a ton of bricks.

Tatl. Zelda's diary. Tatl read her diary. And… tattled to Link, maybe to the whole damn castle.

It all made sense. The odd looks, the little remarks, her constant visits when she had other places to be…

While these thoughts ran through Zelda's mind, her face remained stoic, as it had been before she really knew Link, before she blossomed into a myriad of expressions and emotions in front of him. But on the inside, her mind was reeling.

"Why would they believe that?" She asked, remaining zen on the surface.

"A 'royal diary'." Link was still smiling, chuckling even. "I was skeptical at first, but they insisted it was about me, they allegedly transcribed the entry and everything."

Now a fire was building inside of Zelda, white hot anger, and each word spilling out of Link's mouth was like a log that piled on, making it grow larger and larger.

"And you're convinced that they were telling the truth?"

"It gave me an excuse to get to know you." He shrugged.

Zelda fell silent. Completely silent. She was trying to figure out a bunch of things at once. Mainly how she was going to react.

"I hope you aren't embarrassed," he planted his hands on the floor to hoist himself off of the ground, and it was odd to see him tower over her as she sat on his bed. "I don't care if they made it up or not, if the end result is the same. That's what you wanted to talk about right? About how we feel…" His words faded and blurred, transforming into white noise much like Chancellor Cole's ramblings. Zelda was staring at the floor.

Yes, impulsively, she wanted to lay it all out in the open. Denying their attraction to each other had become too much for Zelda. For whatever reason, sitting on his bed had been her breaking point. Perhaps because she wanted to stop before they got too comfortable.

But it wasn't supposed to happen like this. He knew all along. He knew that she liked her. He used it to his advantage. There was something else tugging at Zelda, telling her not to be hard on him, to stop chastising him. He couldn't help it if Tatl told him about how she felt.

But Zelda was still upset. She stood up as well, staring Link down.

"If it is true, then…" He was saying something but there was blood rushing through her ears, so she couldn't really hear him. She took his sentence and finished it for him.

"If it were true, then that would be an inappropriate invasion of privacy on both your and Tatl's ends, and you had no right to take advantage of that information," Zelda said.

Link stopped talking, staring up at Zelda almost as though she were his mother reprimanding him, and the levity was gone.

No. Her mind was warning her, stop.

The mortification came, rushing throughout her body like water breaking through a dam. And with it, the accompanied panic.

He was not supposed to know.

He was not supposed to know.

He wasn't supposed to have the faintest clue.

It damaged everything between them. She couldn't be sure if he had just been playing a game with her, testing her, experimenting to find out if it had been true.

"Zelda, there's no shame in—"

"No shame in what? I have no shame for anything," she said it arrogantly, with the pomp of the royals she hated so much. In her right mind, she'd be horrified at herself for sounding like them. And then she did something that horrified her even more. She lied. To hurt him. To veil herself. "I have many handsome suitors that are eager to marry me." That part specifically wasn't a lie. But the next part was, and he knew it, because they had talked about it. "And I… I am coming around on some of them. So I don't know what any of my servants told you, but it certainly was not true."

He didn't seem the slightest convinced of that. He was right to feel that way.

"Zelda, you don't mean that." He said. He didn't sound crestfallen, like she half-expected him to. He sounded more sympathetic, like he was sorry for her, like he could tell she was embarrassed that he knew all along. It only made her angrier, more defensive. He stepped to her, reached for her, normally she loved his hands on her skin but tonight—

"No." She backed away, "Don't touch me." She said this louder than it needed to be said. Her voice filled the room and immediately he backed away without question, watching her as she grabbed her cloak and flung it over her body, as if hiding herself from him could keep him from knowing what was going on within her heart.

Almost at that exact time, the door to the barrack-room flung open, making both Link and Zelda jump. Zelda turned to see who had come in. The room was dim. The only source of light was coming from Link's lantern, which made the figure at the other end of the room hard to identify.

Or it would have, if their tunic didn't have a large red Sheikah eye in the center that glowed, even in the darkness.

"Impa?" Zelda was frozen, more panic bubbling in her chest.

Her lifelong caretaker walked towards her, raindrops dripping down her armor, pure alarm on her face as if she had heard Zelda yelling and rushed to her aid. Impa grabbed her arm and gave Link a hard glare. If looks could kill, that would have been the one to send Link to his grave. But when Zelda turned to study his reaction, he didn't seem too surprised when he saw her.

"We're done here," Impa said to him, and he could do nothing at that moment except nod.

---

Dear Diary,

My life is over. Nothing is sacred. Love does not exist. The world is cold and cruel. There is no one I can trust to guard my secrets.

Not even you.

I shouldn't be like this. It isn't your fault. But I seem to do this. I seem to assign blame where it shouldn't go. I shouldn't have yelled at Link the way I did. Yes, I just used his real name. I don't care anymore. It isn't a secret. Maybe it never was.

Tatl confessed to Chancellor Cole and Impa that she read my diary. She's been reading it for some time now, and I guess when she read my entries about Link, she wanted to be nosy and snoop around more. No wonder she was coming to my room so often. She didn't want to talk to me; she wanted me to leave so she could go through my things. It's no matter now. She and her brother have been suspended until further notice. Impa told me I get the final say in what happens to them, which sounds like a heavy weight to carry. Chancellor Cole joked that I should throw them into the dungeon. Neither of us laughed at that. But I have found a new spot to hide my diary and the key. I might even get a new locksmith to change the lock on it. It seems extreme, I know, but let that be a reminder to you of the value you hold to me. I'm not going to let anyone stop me from having an outlet to vent to.

For now, I have a new maid. Her name is Fi. She comes from the Great Plateau, which I think is very interesting. I would like to talk to her, to seek and give her support in the same way I did with Tatl (who is now DEAD to me), but she is far more reserved, and I am also reserved and… Two reserved spirits don't quite work. One of us would have to get the metaphorical ball rolling. I don't want it to be me. It doesn't matter too much. What matters is that she is professional, and as a professional she won't be going through my things in an inappropriate manner.

Now, all that's left for me to do is find a way to combat the loneliness. Tatl is gone. I have not spoken to Link since the incident. And I intend to keep it that way. I still love him. I'm worried that I always will. But if I keep my distance, maybe I can learn to stomach it better. Maybe I can be the daughter that my father wants me to be. Maybe I can find myself, because I feel so lost.

You're lucky, diary. You're lucky that you are nothing more than pages bound together by leather. Being a human is far more complicated.

I'm too old to be so unsure of myself, to be so immature, to be such a mess. But I also feel too young to be so sure of myself, to have it all together, to be burdened with so many expectations.

I hope that in my next life, I come back as a tree.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

For a bit of time, Zelda and Tatl had been a united front against Chancellor Cole. Now the tables were turned. It was Tatl who was on the other end of the stick, while Cole stood near Zelda angrily, defending her as if her honor had been tainted. In some ways, Zelda mused, it had been.

It was odd to see Tatl out of uniform. She wore a dark brown kirtle that frayed at the hem. Her head was bowed down, stuck to the floor. She was too ashamed to face them, to face the princess she had betrayed.

Okay, that was pushing it a little. Zelda was angry, and she had every right to be, but it wasn't like Tatl committed a war crime.

Cole, on the other hand, was certainly acting like she had.

Or maybe he was gloating. Their rivalry was so juvenile. He mostly seemed happy that Zelda stood with him now, and not against him.

"The choice is yours, your Highness." He said as he rubbed his hands conspiratorially. "But if I may suggest, termination is most appropriate for such a heinous offense. Or we can send them to clean the stables." Everyone hated cleaning the stables. It would send a message for sure. Don't cross the princess, otherwise the consequences will be severe. Zelda hated that. The idea of being feared.

"The stables won't do," Zelda shook her head. "Anly looks after them perfectly fine."

"That he does," Cole agreed, though Zelda was certain he was just agreeing for the sake of it, buttering up every word she had to say because he knew she wouldn't speak up for Tatl. "Termination it is, then!"

Tatl made a tiny noise. It sounded like a whimper. Zelda stared at her hard, unable to see her face, but aware of the terror. Zelda was angry. She didn't know if she was capable of holding a long-lasting grudge, but she sensed that forgiving Tatl fully would not come so easily. But still, it was clear that Tatl felt some sort of remorse. Zelda glanced at Cole, and poked his hats.

"I'd like a moment alone to talk to her, if that's fine." Zelda requested.

Cole headed to the door without much thought, "Stick it to her good, princess. Don't be afraid to make her cry!" Zelda scoffed as he shut the door behind her, then turned to give Tatl her full attention.

"Sit up straight." She ordered in her most regal tone. "And look at me."

Obediently, Tatl brought her head up, facing Zelda. Her cheeks were splotchy, streaked with tears.

It felt like they were in a standoff. Zelda had so many things she wanted to say, but it was being combated by the need to reach out and grab Tatl by the shoulders, to tell her to stop crying. The past weeks, despite a few conflicting emotions, had been wonderful. Now that Zelda knew the truth, Tatl played a pretty important role in that. By bringing Zelda and Link together, and by standing near Zelda's side whenever Zelda needed her. She couldn't help the soft spot in her heart, the part that cared, the part that had started to think of Tatl as one of her closest friends. Then she remembered other things, things that made her less understanding, things that cut through her compassion.

"You've read my diary for a while." Zelda said.

Tatl nodded, but said nothing.

"You read it before I started writing about Link, I'm sure."

"Y-Yes." Tatl whispered.

"Then I don't need to tell you any of this, but I'm going to anyway. So that you can understand just how angry I am right now. My diary is the last thing my mother gave to me before she died. I cried myself to sleep for so many nights and I wrote about her to cope with the grief. This was well before I started to fancy Link. If you read my diary for so long, then I know for a fact you read about this. How do you feel, knowing that you invaded my privacy in such a dishonorable way? How did you convince yourself to keep reading after you saw how heavy the contents were? Did you not feel bad at any point?"

Tatl was silent. And then she started to wail.

"Of course I felt bad!" She cried, "You present yourself as a stone wall of emotion. Strong and unbreakable. But when I read your diary, I realized that wasn't you at all. I realized how sad you really were, and I wanted to talk to you and be your friend. I hated seeing you suffer in silence. But you always kept to yourself. When I read about Link, I thought that was my way in. I thought you two could get to know each other, and then we could bond over boy talk, or something. I thought you'd be happier."

"I want to believe that, but I also think you were just nosy. You stuck your nose in my business and used it like it was entertainment. It was wrong and an overstepped boundary!"

"I know, and I'm sorry…" Tatl sniffled, "I'm so sorry Zelda. Your Highness. But please," she came closer. "If termination is the only option, don't let Tael take the fall for any of this. Send me off."

Tael was younger, quieter, and Zelda was confident he had nothing to do with his sister's actions. Unfortunately, since the two of them were siblings and practically attached at the hip–when Tatl wasn't trying to cozy up to Zelda at least–whatever punishment Tatl was expected to face, Tael would be tacked on as collateral.

"I don't think that's really up to me," Zelda said, which was ironic considering it had been made clear to her that Tatl and Tael's penalties were completely up to her.

"I'm the one who screwed up!"

"Your brother won't stay without you."

"He shouldn't have to suffer for my mistakes!"

"I agree. But my point stands. It wouldn't be that bad, you would be sent back to your home in Castle Town and–"

"Zelda," Tatl cut in, her voice full of anguish. "We don't have a home."

Zelda faltered. "...What?"

"Tael and I grew up on the streets in Castle Town. We started our own housekeeping services in exchange for food before we were invited to the castle. But we own no properties, nor land. We have nothing to our name."

Zelda's shoulders slumped, and her anger subsided. How, in the time she and Tatl spent talking, had she never known of this? How many unspoken stories of pain were there amongst the subjects in her castle? Her problems seemed so small in comparison.

"Tatl, I had no idea."

"I didn't want you to know. You didn't need to know. But now, our jobs are on the line, and it's my fault. Send me back, I'll be okay. But Tael is younger than me. Now that he knows castle life, he won't be happy anywhere else. He'll crumble out there; he can't handle it."

Zelda shook her head. "You would be all alone. You need your brother, and your brother needs you."

"That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

That word in particular struck a chord with Zelda. She thought back to her first conversation with Link, and how much she despised sacrifice. Ever since she fell for Link, she began to think harder about these things. About love, and about risk. Tatl had a big mouth, she was pushy, persistent, and always got herself into trouble. She rarely kept her thoughts to herself. But she also loved her brother. She loved him more than she loved herself. She loved him so much that she would beg Zelda to let her go back to a life of nothing with no one to see her through it, if it meant he would be okay. To love someone that much is a beautiful thing. But no one should ever have to make that sort of sacrifice.

"No," Zelda said. "I won't do it. I won't let either of you leave."

"You won't?" Tatl gasped.

Zelda grabbed a handkerchief off of her dresser and dabbed at Tatl's tears. Then she pulled Tatl close to her. Tatl wrapped her arms around Zelda, gracious for the mercy she was showing.

"No, I won't. You may have to be reassigned to a different part of the castle, and it'll be a little tricky, but you're both staying. We'll find another spot for you."

Tatl gave her a squeeze. "Thank you." She said.

Zelda pulled away and took Tatl's hands in her own.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"When you told Link that I fancied him, how did he react?"

Tatl smiled.

"First he pinched himself. He didn't really believe me, I think he thought I was crazy or something. Which I am, so I can't blame him. Then, after some convincing, he started to consider it." Tatl looked more thoughtful now. "Then I asked him what he would do with the information. And he told me that he would try to see you. Not, like, see you, like just meeting up with you and stuff. He said that he wanted to see who you were, 'behind the paintings.'" Tatl put the last three words in air quotes, as if she didn't understand, but it didn't matter because Zelda understood.

Tatl poked her lightly. "It may not be my place to say this, princess, but I think that if there's a man you have met so far who loves you for you and not your royal status, it's him."

---

Zelda sat at her vanity near candlelight. The sun had not yet risen. She was up early because she was going to spar with Eagus, but it would be a waste of time, because in their time together, Link had taught her far more than Eagus would ever bother to with her.

Days had passed by since their last encounter in the barrack-room. And those days turned into weeks. Weeks since she hugged him, laughed with him, joked with him. Weeks since they stared at the stars together, or said their hellos every morning on the training grounds. The responsibilities Zelda used to glower at were now welcome distractions to aid her aching heart. Her only wish was that they had parted on less hostile terms. She wanted to see him. If she couldn't wed him, the least she could do was apologize.

Impa was brushing her hair carefully, parting it to braid.

And it was on that morning, for the very first time since it happened, that Zelda and Impa talked about that night.

"Your father agreed to give you the sapling, by the way. For your friend." Impa had told her softly.

Zelda didn't respond.

"You and him may plant it together. We can make travel preparations. I'll supervise."

"I don't know when I'm going to see him again." Zelda replied.

"You should find out then. He's not much further than a stroll away."

"No, he is. We are worlds apart." It hurt Zelda to say those words. She had heard those words before. Back then she didn't fully feel their sadness, or the bitter taste they left behind in their lips. Now she knew it all too well. "Besides, you wouldn't let me see him."

"I won't stop you from seeing him in the mornings on the training grounds. It was the evenings at the tavern that I worried about. But seeing how miserable you are, maybe I will turn a blind eye to that too. Again."

Zelda's jaw clenched. "So you knew." She could see Impa's reflection in her vanity, the small smirk on her face. Nothing fazed her any longer. For the princess of Hyrule, the concept of privacy was just one big illusion.

"It's my job to know."

"How long did you know?"

"The entire time."

Zelda was both surprised and unsurprised.

"And you didn't say anything?"

Impa started to divide the strands of her hair evenly, pulling them back tightly against her head. "You know I'll be retiring soon, and going back to my residence in Kakariko."

"Yes, I know." What Zelda didn't know was what that random piece of information had to do with anything.

"I get to oversee who would be my best replacement once I am gone. Usually we look at the graduated knights and not the squires. But the squires will be dubbed soon enough, so I consider them as well." Impa's fingers threaded through Zelda's hair gracefully, seamlessly. "I don't need to tell you this, Zelda, but many of your knights are dimwits. Formidable in combat, and maybe on the battlefield they serve well during war, but in day-to-day rotations? Atrocious. It does not matter when it comes to your personal protection because you have me. But when you won't have me any longer, you'll need someone just as smart and attentive as me to protect you."

"Uh huh…"

"Link is quite smart. And attentive." She commented innocently.

Zelda felt her throat closing. She didn't need Impa to tell her that Link was smart and attentive. She knew that already. It was two of many things she liked about him.

"If we consider the timeline he had to start sneaking you out of the castle, which started after our trip to Mabe, then he only really had that day we were gone to memorize the path you'd need to take from your room to get to the tavern, and memorize several rotations for you to avoid getting caught. That's no easy feat. He learned the routes of multiple knights. Most knights spend weeks learning a singular rotation."

His efforts had been a waste because Zelda already knew all the rotations. But now that she thought about it, it took her ages to learn them. She never put any of those things into perspective.

And Impa…

She sounded impressed.

"I was going to stop you." She admitted. "That first night. I was watching from a distance. I was going to swoop in and scold you both. I approached, beneath the shadows, once you left the palace gate. I was furious that you would go to such lengths for this boy. Then I stopped."

"Why?" Zelda asked.

"I listened to you guys talk. He said that he would not let any harm befall you. And… I froze. The conviction in his voice. I could tell he was being truthful. Then he walked with you the rest of the way to the tavern. And as you guys walked, he turned, and he looked straight at me. For the first time in many moons, I was surprised. No one ever sees me, or even senses my presence. But he did."

Impa tied the bottom of Zelda's hair up carefully.

"Zelda, I am your shadow. I will always be there to watch over you and to protect you. But I am not your father. I won't try to control every part of your life. You deserve to breathe, and to make your own choices."

"I thought you didn't like Link."

"I didn't like the choices you were making to be in his presence." She shrugged, "But the more I observed you two together, the more I realized he would be the perfect fit once I leave. Your closest guard should be someone you get along with well. They must be strong, skilled, observant, and…"

Zelda stared at Impa's reflection expectantly.

"And," Impa rested her hands on Zelda's shoulders. "In my most humble opinion, they must love you."

That word. It was there again. If the rain on the night she and Link fell out was a sign of a bad omen, maybe that word, love, was what would bring them back together.

"Because loving me is part of your job description?" Zelda asked somewhat somberly.

"No," Impa stroked her cheek. "I know how you feel about my allegiance to you." Zelda tried not to let her nerves show; Impa must have been watching very closely. She must have heard their conversation that night. Zelda wondered what else she heard. "But let me make this clear. The goddess ordained me to watch over you. But loving you? I did that all on my own."

Zelda felt herself crying, and let herself lean back against Impa's stomach.

"You listened to me that night… I just want you to be happy. I want you to live for yourself."

"I've already done both of those things for many moons, here with you." Impa responded, pressing a gentle kiss to Zelda's temple. "And happily, I will pass the torch on to Link."

"You would really let him be my guard?"

"I would."

"But… I don't want him to just be my guard. I want to marry him."

Impa did not cringe at her words. She accepted them, neither happy nor upset, as fact. "Okay. Then marry him."

---

Taptaptap.

Zelda's eyes were shut and she was tossing and turning in her bed.

Taptaptap.

It sounded like a rat, the rhythmic tapping against her window that wouldn't stop. Zelda didn't think it to be very meaningful, until the cadence changed.

Taptaptaptaptaptaptap–

Okay, this was either a very obnoxious rat, or not a rat at all. Zelda sat up when it was apparent she would not know peace and quiet until she figured out what was going on. Part of her was scared about what she would find on the other side. Another part of her was hardened; she knew how to defend herself quite well now. If an intruder was outside her window; she would have the advantage. She braced herself, then pushed her curtains aside dramatically.

She wasn't expecting to see Link dangling on her window sill.

She didn't have time to swoon at the sight of him because if he fell, he would likely break all the bones in his body; immediately, she opened her window, instinctively looking back even though the door to her chambers were closed and no one would come in to interrupt her. Once she felt safe, she grabbed Link by the arms and pulled him inside as best as he could.

"Link," she whisper-hissed, "What on earth do you think you're doing!?"

"I had to see you, Zelda." He told her.

She closed her window and ushered him over to her bed. When he tried to sit on the floor, she shook her head. He sat on her bed, at the very edge. She shook her head again.

"Link, if you want to talk, you have to come closer. We must speak quietly, I don't want to get caught."

Link smirked, sidling up to her, until their faces were only inches apart. "Like this?" He asked.

Zelda's breath stilled. "Y-yes, this works."

His hand rested between them, brushing against her bare leg.

"I missed you." He told her.

She remembered these words, and the way in which he said them. Mabe. She didn't say what she should have said then, but she could say it now.

"I missed you too."

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her and gently, they collapsed over her pillows.

If Impa, Cole, or her father walked in, if one of the knights that was guarding her door spontaneously decided to check on her, she would be done for.

But at that very moment, she didn't care.

She had never done this before, never felt the touch of a man in her bed. Her chest pressed against his firmly and his hands roamed her waist and hips, like he was trying to remember the shape of her body after weeks of absence.

"Zelda, if I had known that you'd be upset over what I said that night, I never would have mentioned it. But you were right. I used that information selfishly. It was wrong. I'm sorry."

"No," Zelda shook her head, pressing her forehead to his. "I'm sorry. I panicked, because if I ever did tell you how I feel, I wanted it to be on my own terms. When I realized that was never an option for me, I opted to protect myself. Protecting myself meant hurting you, I guess. But I lied. Everything Tatl told you was true. About how… I fancied you. Even before we would go to the tavern together."

Link smiled. It was dark, but the room wasn't completely devoid of light. There was the glow of the moon, and the candlelight of Zelda's lantern. She would light it to have a close source of light for when she wrote in her diaries, and she would leave it on to help her sleep. Now, it helped her see his face. It helped her see the pinkness in his cheeks that she'd never seen before.

"I fancied you too." He told her, "I always have."

"Always?"

"From the moment I laid eyes on you." He confirmed. "But it was very much the awestruck, 'Oh my goddess that's the princess!' kind of feeling that all the squires experience, which I quickly learned you dislike. I knew my attraction was shallow, so I tried to move on, which was damn near impossible, since you always stopped by. I didn't like how I felt whenever you said a simple hello to me. Impa and Cole didn't like my lack of class. I thought you wouldn't either. That if I didn't try to hide myself, if I flirted with you, and dared to be vulgar in your presence, you'd be disgusted by my attitude and you would want to keep your distance."

"Did it work?" Zelda asked jokingly, and he snorted.

"No, but I'm glad that it didn't." His face went serious. "Then you went to Mabe."

"And Tatl knew I would be gone, so she rushed to tell you about my diary."

"Yes. Before she told me, I had no hope. My hope was to move on. You always seemed so aloof and unimpressed and formal… I didn't think you could like me or any of us in that way. But when she told me, it changed everything. I thought I had a chance."

"You did."

"No, not really." He said, saddened. "But that's okay. I accepted it pretty quickly. Instead, I decided that I'd continue to work as hard as I can, so that I can be your trusted knight when Impa leaves. I won't have your hand, or the privilege of being your husband, but that doesn't matter. We'll always be together."

The privilege of being your husband.It was a stark contrast from the way her suitors would talk about marrying her.

The honor of being Hyrule's fresh-fish-faced King, Sidon had bellowed to a bunch of tittering nobles, raising his trident.

First a kiss atop her head for granting me the beloved crown, then two on her cheeks for taking me as her lover and friend, and one on her lips for the promise of forever. Revali said in elation while he nocked an arrow.

But no. What Link thought of first and foremost when he imagined a life with Zelda, was a life as her husband.

Zelda sighed, feeling the pain curdle up inside of her. "But…"

Link felt it too.

"I know. But it's better this way. Trust me. You wouldn't want me as your husband."

"I do, though. I want that very much."

"You wouldn't if you knew the truth about me."

"The truth?"

Link stroked the side of her hip.

"Zelda, you should know that I…" He closed his eyes. "Damn it."

"What is it, Link? You can tell me anything."

"Zelda…" He steeled himself. If second-hand nerves were a thing, Zelda was feeling it at that moment. She wondered if he was going to confess to murder or treason. "I lied to you about my parents. I'm… I'm what some would call… a bastard."

"A bastard?" She echoed.

"Yes." He opened his eyes to study Zelda's reaction. She didn't give him one.

Then after an eternity she said, rather dryly, "Link, I could have told you that."

Link said nothing. He pursed his lips. Then Zelda felt his body, so close to hers, begin to shake. Despite the weight of what he had just told her, the courage it took for him to be vulnerable, he was laughing. And soon, Zelda was laughing too. They giggled so hard that Zelda was worried her chest would cave in, or that anyone who passed by her room would hear and get suspicious. He placed a finger under her chin and kissed her on the cheek.

"You know what I mean."

"I do." She confirmed.

"I was conceived out of wedlock. My father was having an affair with my mother. He got her pregnant. He couldn't stick around to raise me; he had a wife. He sent us rupees whenever he deemed it necessary, and kept his distance. His other sons, the ones he had with his wife, never lived long. They died young. He was worried he would not have anyone to carry on his legacy. That's when he wanted to be more involved in my life, and to see how I was doing. When my mother passed, he convinced his wife to come around on the idea of me moving in to live with him."

"It sounds like he used you."

"Yeah, you could say that. But I didn't mind it too much. I needed a place to stay. Being with him gave me social status even if it was very minor. And I still loved him as my father. It was complicated."

"I get that," Zelda said, tracing the sides of his face.

"The point is, I would be a blemish on the royal family's bloodline. You are much better off marrying a prince or a duke, like your father wants you to."

"I don't care. None of that changes how I feel about you."

Link smiled like he knew she would say that. "No, no it doesn't. Every time I show you a piece of myself that I think will put you off of me for good, you accept it. And it never ceases to amaze me."

"Link…" Zelda breathed, when he pulled himself closer, when their noses touched. He still smelled earthy and sweet, like saffron. His skin was textured and soft at the same time. His lashes, long and beautifully curved, tickled the soft spot of skin between her brow and her eyelid. She was speechless.

"I love you," he told her, tucking her hair behind her eyes, kissing away the tears of joy and disbelief that started to fall soon after he said it.

---

Dear Diary,

He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not…

He loves me.

I won't stop letting the moment play in my head over and over again. To suspect it is one thing, to hear it from his beautiful lips is another. I feel like dancing amongst the stars. I feel like everything I want is within my reach.

Diary, is it natural to feel this giddy from simply talking to someone? Because it felt exhilarating, like riding a horse at full speed. Link and I talked and talked and talked, only this time we didn't stop until the sun came up the next day. I asked him how he came up to my room; he had memorized the knights' new rotations. I asked him how many of the knights knew I liked him; to my mortification plenty of them know. Before Tatl found Link, she had gone up to a bunch of knights and told them about my infatuation before she figured out that Link was the subject. He reassured me, though, that due to their honor code, they wouldn't go spreading it around to anyone else in the castle. So far, they have done a good job of keeping their promise. I told Link about the sapling. He was so excited, I thought he would kiss me. He could have, if he wanted to. But instead, he smiled, and we talked about when we would go, and where he would plant it. It's going to be nice, to be able to spend time with him during the day, to honor his mother.

I wish I could have met her.

I wish he could have met mine.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

---

Zelda couldn't stop giggling.

"Come on!" Link was laughing with her, his arms wrapped around hers as they held onto a shovel and struggled to dig through the soil. "We're so close."

Zelda felt weak from how hard they'd been laughing and stumbling around. The shovel was heavy, and Link easily could have taken on the task on his own and been done with it long ago. He insisted that he and Zelda dig up the soil for his mother's sapling together, and they went through a great deal of trouble and laughs to make it happen.

From a distance, Impa focused on the horizon, keeping Zelda and Link in the corner of her eye, pretending to be none the wiser at the way they touched each other.

In a way, Impa had given her blessing to Link. Zelda made her desires clear. Impa told her to go after them. But Zelda held fast to what her father wanted, and that marrying him would be impossible.

And then… After a squeamish but very needed adult talk, Impa told her that marriages formed through political means did not require, and often did not preserve, emotional fidelity. That queens and kings could be queens and kings, and love whoever they wanted to behind closed doors. The thought made Zelda feel dirty, but when she brought it up with Link, he shrugged, gave her a devilish smile, and said the thought of sneaking around behind her future husband's back was kind of sexy. She couldn't do anything else other than blush and avert her gaze when he said it.

"Are we done yet?" Zelda was panting, hunched over the hole. Link assessed it for a moment, then nodded.

"This looks good."

Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. Some of the greenhouse attendants who had been standing to the side came over as they finished to set up everything else–protective lining around where the tree would go, and an honorary plaque for Link's mother on it.

Zelda and Link stepped out of their way to watch them work. Link's arm was wrapped around her waist and his chin was on her shoulder. Grass surrounded them, stretched for miles and miles, and the birds flew high in the sky.

Link had decided to plant the sapling in Hyrule Field, a few miles southwest from Castle Town. He initially considered planting it in Woodland, but realized that if the tree were to fully grow, it would be far too large to be in such close proximity to so many other trees. The field was perfect, no other trees to compete with for space, and it would be easier for Link to visit. The attendants finished the decorations, and the only task left was for Link to throw the sapling into the hole, and cover it up with dirt.

They walked up to the hole again. Link had the sapling in his hand, but Zelda could tell he was nervous about planting it. She balanced the shovel on one hand, and used the other to give his arm a squeeze.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He gulped. "Yeah. But… should I just toss it in now? Or should I say something?"

"Do what feels right."

Link stared at her for a moment, then turned to the hole.

"Mother," he began. His eyes already looked misty. "You deserved so much more and so much better from this life. I know that it was hard raising me on your own for so long. You did a great job. I told you I would do big things for us. That I would spend the rest of my life trying. Even though you're gone now, I don't want to stop. I wanted you to see me through so many things. I wanted you to have everything you ever wanted. Grandkids, a solid roof over our heads, a…" He looked to Zelda, and she could tell he needed her in that moment more than ever. "A love that was truly magical. You deserved it."

Zelda touched his cheek. "I'm sure that she did have that last part. With you." She murmured to him.

Link smiled at her words, and then let out a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready."

Zelda watched as he tossed the sapling in, and then together they covered it up.

"This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." He told her after a few minutes of silence.

She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

Impa informed her and Link that they finished planting the sapling ahead of schedule, which meant they would have additional time to meander before their daily responsibilities. They could do anything they wanted, but when they looked at each other and thought of all the possibilities, only one thing came to mind:

"Fireball." They said it at the same time with a grin, then parted temporarily to get ready. Zelda had worn her dark green dress to the field, the one that reminded Link of home, when they planted the sapling. It was stained with dirt along the bottom, so she changed into a light blue puff sleeve. As she left, there was a pep to her step, a joviality that she distinctly remembered when she first started seeing Link.

To feel it again was pure bliss.

Then the sight of another man, very puny with thick, red eyebrows, broke her rhythm.

"Princess." He greeted. He was standing near an armoire, right next to the doors that led out of the castle's northern exit. It was as though he had been waiting for her, like he knew their paths would cross if he stood there.

"Hello Cole," she said politely, and a bit nervously. He hadn't been happy to learn of her midnight outings. He more than likely wouldn't be happy to learn that she was going to a bar with the same squire in the middle of the day.

He fingered through some papers in his hands. "I wanted to give you these. You'll be seeing Daruk of Eldin in two days' time."

Zelda waved him off, not wanting to sour her mood with talk of the suitors she was still being pushed to meet. She and Link had talked about it more than enough. It wasn't something she wanted to stomach.

"I'll take them later. I have two days right? You can give it to me tomorrow, or the day of."

"Or you can just take them now."

"I don't want Link to see me with them."

Cole's face was a blank canvas. Unreadable, he pulled the papers back.

When he spoke, he sounded exasperated, like he was trying to keep his patience in check. "You know, princess, you aren't the only royal in Hyrulean history who has had to marry someone that they don't love."

"Cole–"

"Plenty of royals have married people while their hearts were betrothed to someone else. You would not be the first to do so. Nor the last. I know you are young, and you don't fully understand how it works. But amongst the other royals, nobody cares who you choose to sleep with, Zelda. Really."

She wasn't expecting him to be so blunt. Impa already told her this; she didn't need to hear it again.

"Yeah… Okay. Good to know. Thanks." Zelda said awkwardly. "I have to go."

"Hmph." He was clearly offended at how she brushed him off. "No time for chitchat, I suppose."

"I have to be somewhere."

"Okay, fine."

Zelda started to walk off, but Cole spoke again.

"Zelda."

Zelda sucked her teeth in. "Yes?"

She turned around when he didn't immediately respond to her. For whatever reason, her turning to face him was what he needed to say something.

"Nevermind, I'll be off. I have an appointment to prepare for anyway." He shook his head. He gave her a wave, then walked off, going to some other part of the castle. The papers that were in his hand slipped out absentmindedly. It was a careless blunder, one he usually did not make. Those were her papers for Daruk. She was tempted to go outside and leave them where they were, but she knew it would only cause her trouble later on. She went to grab them, and tell Cole that he had dropped them. She sorted them out, making sure nothing was out of place.

As she skimmed them, she saw they had nothing to do with Daruk. They were legal documents that detailed the peerage system of Central Hyrule.

Cole ate, breathed, and lived this information. He didn't need it for reference. He knew it by heart. So why was he holding them when he came to talk to her? Zelda read them a bit more closely. The documents were addressed to Impa. They were about the lands that would belong to her upon her return to Kakariko. Zelda took in every dense legal word with wide eyes.

She slowly looked up, scanning her immediate vicinity. She had been standing there for a few minutes. Cole should have been long gone by now, with whatever attending he had to go to. Then she saw him. A tiny blob of red and pale white skin, peeking out at her from around the corner like a little kid playing hide and seek. He was watching her. Studying her reaction. She stared at him, wondering if he had done this on purpose… if these 'mistakes' were really mistakes at all…

Then he vanished.

And she ran after him.

Her legs burned, and the tavern was all but a blip in her mind at that very moment; she could afford a few lost minutes with Link if the payoff was eventually leading a life with him by her side and not in secret, where everyone could see how much she adored him.

She ran, stumbling between servants and merchants. A few called her name, gave her a friendly wave, some assessed how desperate and loony she must have looked in that moment, but she did not care.

"Cole," she was gasping for air as she turned corners trying to find him. "COLE!" She yelled.

She looked to the ground, seeing him speed off, like he knew this game of cat and mouse would happen all along.

"COLE! I COMMAND YOU TO STOP RUNNING RIGHT NOW!"

She had never made an order to him like this. But desperate times call for desperate measures. She wasn't even sure if it was within her authority to do so. Impa and Cole had always been like her second set of parents.

But he listened.

He turned around, clearly winded from their run, and treated her as though everything were normal.

"Oh, princess. I thought you had somewhere to be. What's the matter?"

His face was still a blank canvas, but she could hear it in his voice. The mischief.

"You dropped these." She held the papers out for him, but when he tried to take them out of her hand, she refused to let go. He tugged and she held them stubbornly.

"I can't take them if you don't let go." He chastised her. Reluctantly, she released her grip, and he pretended to look through them. He wasn't reading them. He knew exactly what he was doing. "Ah. These are for Impa."

"Why did you give those to me?" Zelda asked.

He ignored the question completely.

"Did you know she's retiring soon?"

"Not soon. Not for another few moons. Why did you give those to me?" She asked again.

"I didn't. I dropped them."

They stared each other down before Cole said something.

"Zelda, do you know why so many men send their sons to become knights?"

Zelda watched him, so startled that her hands were shaking. It was a rhetorical question, so she said nothing.

He started to pace, walking around her in a circle, eyes stuck to the floor.

She thought of her answers.

Food and shelter for their kids, honor, legacy, pride to the family name.

"They do it for the land," he said. "Not many of the younger squires know this. It isn't listed in their curriculum because we want to preserve the integrity of our soldiers, and make sure they don't have any ill intentions when they study for exams, but depending on the rank of a knight, they are often compensated for their services with land. That land is ceded to their fathers."

He continued to circle her like a shark. He still refused to look at her.

"The higher the rank, the more land they earn." He stopped walking for a moment. "Impa is technically not a knight, but she held those responsibilities as your closest guard. The knight who will replace her will be considered the 'Queen's Champion.' It is the highest rank any knight can be offered."

Zelda could feel the wobble of her lips, the tears that were more than ready to trickle down her face.

"While Impa served, the land that was gifted to her went to her sister. I'm sure you've heard of her. Duchess Purah from Hateno Village." He stared at his feet. "When Impa is done serving, she will make the choice of whether or not she wants to take that land, or let her sister keep it."

"Cole…" Zelda dropped to her knees, trying to meet him at eye-level. "Why did you give this to me…"

He ignored her question.

"Consider what I am telling you right now a mini-lesson about our great peerage system, your Highness. This most likely has not been taught to you through your studies. But whoever replaces Impa as your Champion will be granted a duchy, based on their place of residence. It is the highest rank of nobility there is." He finally lifted his head to face her fully. His face was still blank.

"So Impa's replacement…" Zelda said slowly, "...would become a duke."

"Hmph. Have you not been listening at all? The land would go to his father while he serves. Then, after a few moons of service, or whenever his father passes… He would inherit that title."

Zelda gripped Cole by his tiny green suit.

"Why did you give those to me?"

"I didn't. I dropped it. And you returned it."

"You said they were my notes for Daruk."

"I made a mistake."

"You never make mistakes."

"Well, princess," he shrugged, "There's a first time for everything."

She suspected he wasn't just talking about the notes. This was the first time he had done something purely for Zelda's benefit, and not under her father's orders. She wondered if he knew how much it meant to her.

"So… if my next knight were to step down from that position eventually… and become a duke… Would–would I be able to wed him?"

She knew what the answer was, but her mind was in a disillusioned state. A duke was the highest noble title there was, and so long as Zelda passed on her royal blood to her future children, she would undoubtedly be permitted to wed one.

"If you wish."

"How long does he have to serve?"

"Around eight moons."

Zelda exhaled and released him. "That's… that's…"

"A long time for the Princess of Hyrule to be single."

"But I would be able to wed him eventually."

"Yes," Cole nodded, "Your father wouldn't title a knight, but he would title a duke."

They stared at each other some more. Zelda wanted to pull him into a bone-crushing hug, but Cole's love language wasn't touch or physical affection. Zelda wasn't sure what Cole's love language was, or if he would even say that he had one.

But if he did, she imagined that it would be something like this.

"You would have to be patient, Zelda." His voice lowered when he told her this. "And I would still have to arrange meetings with other suitors."

"I know."

"It will take a long time before you can wed him properly."

"I know."

For him, she would wait a hundred moons.

Cole nodded, understanding that her mind was set. He likely knew more than he was letting on. Zelda considered that he may have known about Link's past; about his mother and the true nature of his conception. If he did, he didn't pass any judgment on it. Zelda appreciated that.

Cole gave her a bow. His face was stern and professional, as always. But she could feel it, the warmth in his regard. Before he walked away, he whispered to her so quietly that she barely heard it, "I hope he is worthy, your Highness."

---

To make up for her tardiness, Zelda had silver rupees tucked in a satchel beneath her cloak to pay for any food and drink Link might want to have. Link didn't question what took her so long to come to him nor did he seem upset. He had a happy smile on his face as she approached, one whose radiance rivaled that of the sun above them. It was magical, to see him under the gleam of the sun and not the dark of the night. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her hand there, pressing it closely to her hip.

Zelda glanced around, taking in the trees, the soil of the earth, the shapes and buildings of Castle Town that she only really got to visit on political outings. She admired the land around them but also searched, a frenzy to her gaze.

"Impa isn't shadowing us, if that's what you're worried about." Link said knowingly.

She looked down at him. "How do you know?"

"I just know." His answer was vague and his smile was languid; he could tell she didn't like him much at that moment.

"I don't get that. She has been with me my entire life. How is it that you're able to detect her in the time you've been with me when I can't?"

"I assume she'd have to change her strategy if you caught on to her ways."

"Will you guard me like that when you take her position?"

They didn't speak in 'if's' about him becoming her personal guard; they spoke in 'whens' and 'eventuallys'. Zelda reasoned that speaking it into existence would ensure that it would happen.

And until her talk with Cole, she didn't realize that there was another path for them.

"Hmm," he feigned thought, but pulled her closer to him. "No. I want you to know I'm there. I want to be with you always."

She smiled as they entered the tavern, briefly pulling away from him as he opened the doors.

Fireball felt less like a bar during the day and more like a wholesome family restaurant. Children ran in circles playing makeshift games, and the adults–castle-goers she presumed due to Fireball's distance from the main town and closeness to her home–sat around with plates of food in abundance, and little alcohol to accompany them.

"Go to the back," Zelda commanded, "Drinks and food are on me today."

Link obeyed despite wanting to protest. Once he was gone, a giddy smile was on her face. She kept herself concealed and walked up to order.

"Can you break these?" She asked the waiter, pulling out a silver rupee.

"I'm afraid not," the Goron said. She recognized him. In the evenings he usually cleaned up after the squires' mess. "You can come back after we've had a little more business. Maybe we'll have more greens to give you change."

"No, that's fine. You can keep the change," Zelda decided. "I'd like two of your most expensive drinks, please."

He smiled awkwardly. "You're Link's companion, aren't you?"

"...Yes."

"Wouldn't you rather try something different?"

"No. What do you mean by that?"

"Rito oat milk is our most expensive drink, miss. And he's been buying it, practically by the dozens, every night you've come to see him."

Zelda felt dizzied at his words. "...Oh." It was unsettling to hear. She stood there, staring into space for a moment, before gathering her whims and purchasing two mugs to enjoy together. The Goron was satisfied with the generous tip she left him and told her she was free to ask for more if she wanted.

"Ah, a classic." Link grinned when he saw her walking over with two steaming mugs. He sat at the pit in front of them. "You know, we've never shared these together. I'm usually nursing a beer."

Is it because you can only afford to purchase one for me? She wanted to ask, but she held her tongue. From her many conversations with Link, she knew squires didn't make much income. His father wasn't a very wealthy noble. Why would he spend so many rupees on her when he had so little? On her! The Princess of Hyrule! She was crowned in the finest jewels, lavished with wealth and servants her entire life. She was the last person who needed to be spoiled, by him of all people. It made her want to scold him, to pinch him on the cheek in disapproval, it made her–

It made her love him more.

"Toast?" She asked.

"To oat milk," he said, raising his mug to meet hers.

"The best thing to come out of Rito Village," she added slyly. Link laughed heartily at the jab to Revali.

She decided not to call him out on all the rupees wasted trying to impress her. Instead, she made a silent vow that in return she would give him the world a hundred times over.

"I spoke to Cole earlier." She mentioned softly.

"Oh? Anything interesting? Or did he rip you a new one for coming out here?"

"No, nothing like that. He shared some… information with me. A duchy would be granted to the highest of all the knights. The Queen's Champion. The… the position Impa holds now, as my guard."

Link straightened up, concern washing over his face as he turned to Zelda. "Oh. Zelda, I didn't know–"

"I'm not accusing you of knowing anything. He told me not many of the knights know about it," Zelda said quickly, "Just informing."

Link considered what she was saying, the full implications dawning on him slowly and surely.

"A duke is… A prestigious title among nobility." Link commented.

"Practically a prince, minus the royal blood."

"And…" he looked at Zelda, lips dry, and when he saw her put her mug down, he put his down too. His breath nearly stopped as she slid closer to him, climbing into his lap. Her cloak slipped along her shoulders, revealing lightly puffed sleeves, the softness of her arms, and eventually her legs as she wrapped herself up around him. His hands found the small of her back, holding her there as his neck tilted up to stare at her.

"My father would title you." Not just any duke, you, Zelda thought to herself. Because that was what she wanted, what she was speaking into existence.

The hope she had felt when she was talking to Cole was practically pouring out of Link's eyes. She could see it and feel it, in the way he held her, his excitement, the slight flare of his nose.

She leaned down and kissed him, feeling his exhale, the way his body went limber at her touch, like her body and lips on his was the best relaxant he had ever taken. Her lips parted for him like a Lurelin tide, his tongue teased her teeth, her hands groped at his chest, taking the time to feel all the muscles she used to drool over whenever she watched him spar in the mornings.

Then she felt his inhale, like he was taking all of her in at once. His arms tightened, her hips rolled into him ever so slightly, her chest was resting against his collarbone, and her fingers were combing through his hair. His lips slowly left hers, to kiss the bottom of her chin, to trail down to her neck, then her chest, her lower arms, any piece of skin that was shown. She laughed as he kissed each individual finger on her hands, as he pressed his lips to her palms.

"Do you want this?"

"Hm?" He asked, his lips still dancing across her skin. "Zelda, you know how I feel. You're everything to me."

"What about the crown? Marrying me means marrying Hyrule. Do you want that too? That burden?"

He noted the vitality of what she was asking of him and pulled away briefly. But his lips curled up and he chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Now that I've gotten to know you, I see you aren't really the stoic and poised princess I admired in the paintings. You're terribly human like the rest of us."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"You could never disappoint me," He told her, "And I could come around to being King."

"You would need to serve me for at least eight moons before we wed."

"That gives me time to prepare then."

"I've been prepping for the throne my whole life, far longer than eight moons, and I still have much to learn."

"I'm a quick study. And we would work together." He tilted his head as he studied her expression. "Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

"No, but if it's too much and you want to turn tail from this… from me…" She said sadly, "Then it's best to do it now than later."

"Zelda." He caressed her cheek, "If I were ordained to live a thousand lifetimes, I would find and choose you every time."

His words seeped into her skin, her heart, and her soul.

She cupped both of his cheeks and whispered, "I love you."

Three words she had meant to say to him when he said them to her a few nights prior, three words she hadn't been able to say because she was too overcome with tears in that moment to speak.

Now it was her turn to kiss his joyous tears away, and she did so happily.

---

Dear Diary,

I cannot recall how many moons it has been since I last wrote to you. I have grown older, wiser, and now I wear a ring on my finger.

It's funny to look back upon my older entries and see how I toiled with my emotions.

It's magical to relive the sensation I felt around him, to read about the way we fell in love.

Link Valor, once my beloved squire, graduated to knighthood, appointed as my closest guard. And now, he has relinquished that title to be something even more treasured: my husband. We held to our promise that we would marry one day. I thought that the moons in between would be a magnificent but sometimes miserable fever dream, filled with stolen kisses and pining after one another until his time was properly served. But it was not miserable at all. It gave us time to consider if marriage was truly in the cards for us. It gave us time to not just be lovers, but companions. It was wonderful, just as wonderful as having him as a lifelong partner.

We first exchanged our vows in private, before our wedding.

Our wedding, of course, was grand. A parade through the streets of Castle Town.

I remember the laughter, the beating drum of my heart. I remember the tears of not just me, but everyone around me. Even Chancellor Cole was wiping his cheeks with his handkerchief. But when I noticed, he glared, so I said nothing about it. I hope he doesn't mind that I am writing it now.

I opted for two maids of honor. My second mother, Impa. And Tatl, my nosy friend whom I must credit for my union with Link. I convinced her to come back and work as my maid once more. And I do not despair over her reading my diary again, because anything I would tell to you, I now feel emboldened to share with her. My dearest friend, second only to Link. It is nice to be loved and to love in more ways than one.

I don't expect that I will be able to keep you to myself forever. And it is no longer my priority. For the longest time you were my keepsake to remember my mother, but I will always remember her no matter what I do, where I go, or how much time passes us by.

The leather is worn and you have aged significantly. I don't have many pages left. Everyone has a limited number of pages, I suppose.

Instead, I want to close by sharing some things that I have learned about love. For anyone in the future who discovers this diary, if you choose to read it or publish it for everyone throughout the lands of Hyrule to see, heed my words.

Falling in love is like falling through the sky. It is scary, and for some time you don't know where you'll land.

Let the thought of somebody scare you. It is okay. So long as when you are in their presence, you feel nothing but warmth and safety.

Choose someone who tries to see you for who and what you are.

Choose someone who will engage you just as much in a conversation about a blade of grass as they would when baring their soul to you.

Choose someone who would give you all that they have to put a smile on your face. And see to it that they never have to do so.

Most importantly: choose someone who chooses you, and would continue to choose you over and over again, over the course of a thousand lifetimes.

Trust me, you won't regret it.

Yours Truly,

Zelda

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I told you it was cheesy…

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, I will go work on The Roommates.

BYE! (this will be crossposted to AO3 after I've wiped my tears and mentally prepared myself to format 30k+ words of text in one sitting.)