Weird, seeing that I threw out the sequel I'd thought that the views and reviews of "The silver dagger and its sheath" would continue to increase... not the case though, sad.

On to another topic: Some religious nut posted his sales-speech about his faith, just like that, on the reviews page of my story "Raising Link." I already marked it as spam and gave that crazy preacher a piece of my mind. Am I the only one though to whom that happened?

Anyhow... here's the next chapter, enjoy.

The fair Zelda froze. So did her heart. But praised be Farore for it was only for an instant.

Still, she struggled to speak, "Y-you... you have already found her, your highness?"

"I think so," said the young king, "Now that I think of it, the more I consider her, the more suited she this maiden appears.

"But now another question has come that needs answering."

The young king turned to look at the fair Zelda.

"Will she agree to take art in this peculiar plan of mine?"

The fair Zelda knew not what to say, how to answer her young king. Her wits, for which she was renowned appeared to have deserted her.

"F-forgive me, milord," managed the fair Zelda finally to bring out, "But I do not know what to say! I cannot even begin to imagine myself as a queen!"

"Neither did I nor could I back when I was but a young knight in training, though the king of Hyrule was my good uncle, but now I am the king and I would not have it any other way," replied the young king, "I even dare say that it is for the best that I am Hyrule's king now, if only to deny all the unworthy nobles the throne."

"But milord," said the frightened Zelda, "You expect me to become Hyrule's next ruling queen... it is too grand! It is too frightening!"

The young king looked at the fair maid in a curious manner, "You are afeared of the crown?"

It did not take the fair Zelda long to answer, "I am, your highness..."

"You are quite right to be so, and I see it as a good sign that you are. I would even say it proves that you are worthy," said the young king, "Most people think of the crown as sort of blessing, as a artifact that grants riches and power. But in truth it is a dreadful burden that causes you much worry and fear. There are times when the crown on your head causes you to feel more dread and fear than a dagger at your throat would...

"But you need not fear just yet, fair Zelda, I will not force a burden such as that upon you if that is something you wish not to." said the young king at once when he saw the fair Zelda's heart sink, "But I do wish to see if you could."

The frightened Zelda looked up with uncertainty, "What do you mean, your highness?"

The young king took a good, long moment to think.

"What I am thinking is this..." began the young kin to speak, "You shall come to the castle with me and you shall be my guest again. But more than that, you shall be my fiancee..."

The fair Zelda inhaled sharply. She had forgotten that if she accepted not only would she agree to bear the crown as Hyrule's next queen and rule alongside her young king... she would also agree to lay with him in the same bed and to bear his children!

It was then at that moment that the fair Zelda felt herself compelled to speak.

"Milord?"

The young king looked at the fair maiden curiously, "What is it, fair Zelda?"

"Milord, this scheme of yours would have us wed..."

The young king remained silent for a moment, "Indeed it would."

"But, milord, we barely know one another..." said the prudent Zelda, "Do you truly intend to wed a maiden you barely know?"

The young king took another good, long moment to think.

"You speak truly, I do indeed know you only barely," agreed the young king at last, "But then again, those princesses and noble ladies that have been presented to me, I know them even less. However... that plan of mine should see to that as well."

"W-what do you mean, your highness?"

"As you stay with me in the castle, not only shall you learn all that must be known to rule and to govern... you shall learn about me as well," said the young king, "You shall learn to know me, just as I shall learn to know about you. And then... and then we shall know.

"If you prove yourself worthy of the crown and of my heart, and if you are willing to be Hyrule's next queen as well as my wife... only then will I wed you and crown you. But if you fail to meet any of these conditions, the worthiness to rule, the worthiness to wed me, the willingness to be crowned, the willingness to be wedded to me... then I shall have you returned this farm," explained the young king, "So what think you, fair Zelda? Are you willing to come to the castle with me? Are you willing to see whether or not you are worthy of being Hyrule's next queen? Are you willing to see whether or not I could be your husband, and you my wife?"

But the fair Zelda still knew not what to say, what to answer her young king. Her wits, for which she was so renowned, seemingly had not the slightest intentions of returning to her, coming to her aid.

"...you cannot give me an answer I see..." noted the young king, "Very well, I realize that it is much I ask of you... Think you that you can give me an answer this coming halfmoon?"

The fair Zelda looked questioningly at the young king, "This coming halfmoon, what mean you, your highness?"

"If you will recall, I am going to Calatia for a visit," said the young king, "And there I will remain for several days. The journey itself all the way to Calatia and back will also require a couple of days, as such I will be gone from Hyrule for about a halfmoon. When I return, I shall make a stop here on Master Talon's farm again, I will seek you out again, and ask whether you have come to a decision. Would that suit you, fair Zelda? Would a halfmoon be enough time for you to decide?"

The fair Zelda was not at all certain, but she still nodded.

The young king smiled gently, "I shall see you then in a halfmoon, fair Zelda..."

The young king then turned towards the sun, "I think it time to return to the farmhouse... If you will lead the way, fair Zelda?"

With that, the fair Zelda led the young king and the stern Lady Impa back to the farmhouse.

...

Not much later, the young king, his men, and the stern lady Impa had eaten their small, but delectable meal, and were entering the carriage again, or mounting their horses, who were quite cheerful after their good feed and rest, and were eager to be out on the road again.

Before the young king and his entourage left, the stern Impa handed all the stableboys who had tended to the horses and all the farmmaids who had prepared that delightful meal a small but generous reward each.

When last she came to the lost, fair Zelda she spoke to her in a low voice.

"I beg your discretion, fair Zelda," said the knightly lady, "What has been spoken between you and our king is best known to no one other than us. Best let no one know of what was said."

"No one? Not even my father?" asked the lost, fair Zelda, "Not the good Malon, not the landlord Talon?"

The stern Impa shook her head, "Nay, no one, not even them."

"But noble lady... I need to speak with them, I need to let them know..." said the lost, fair Zelda, "I cannot make this decision on my own, I must know they think of it. Who will look after my old father should I go? Who will help my dear Malon and the landlord Talon once I have gone?"

The stern Impa thought over the young maiden's words. Then she sighed.

"Very well..." said she, "But see to it that they let no one else know. At least, until we feel the time right to let them do so."

The fair Zelda nodded in compliance, "I promise to do so, Lady Impa."

The stern Impa nodded back with a smile.

Then she swung herself unto her horse and off went the young king and his retinue to Calatia...

...leaving behind a very lost, troubled farmmaiden.

Strange, I always check on the stories I followed, but no one seems to update anymore... other than myself...

Am I the only one who thinks so?

Well, anyway:

Please review and comment. All forms of reviews, comments and criticisms are very welcomed and appreciated. You are also welcome to send me private messages.

If you do not have the time to leave behind such, a numerical ratings from 0-10 will suffice just as well.

0 = Delete this shit. 10 = Perfect.