LOVE IN A TIME OF CALAMITY
Part 2: After Catastrophe
Chapter 16: The Funeral, Part 4: Freder's Hunger

Tiny Author's note at bottom.

Chapter Warnings: Misogyny, objectification of women, generally shitty male behavior

Freder gazed with expertly-concealed contempt at the filthy masses congregating below, shifting and jostling one another like fly larvae in a rotting carcase. They reeked of rot too. Disgusting, low-born animals. Shifting in his cushioned seat, he gazed down at the wooden planks of the platform as it squeaked in response to his movement. Was this thing even stable? While he understood the scarcity of resources and manpower following the Calamity, really, the level the aristocracy had been reduced to!

The nobles' platform, situated off to the side of the main podium before the gates—though a few inches shorter than the center podium, still rose a foot or two off the ground giving Freder a good view of the crowd and a reasonable vantage of the trumpeters who were now taking up position.

A similar platform to his own sat on the opposite end, filled with the champions of the other races. There was the Gerudo champion, Urbosa—such a fine piece of ass; it was a pity the Gerudo were an accepted and respected race and not the mere harlots and slaves they'd been in eras past—she would have made such a delicious plaything, and been a delight to break. Then there was the new Zora champion, Ordon—a smellier, slimier man he never met; the Goron champion, Daruk—a beefcake of a thing with a mind on par with that of a peanut; and the new Rito champion, Teba—a pompous pigeon who thought all together too highly of himself. He'd be far better off plucked and stuffed. Overall, they were a disappointing lot, though he doubted he would be happier even with a better crop of representatives. Being non-Hylian, they would always be beneath himself.

Beside him his father leaned closer, whispering into his ear as the Princess came to stand out of sight of the crowd, behind the central podium. "Do not forget to make time to greet the Princess after her speech. And do be charming: we must begin cementing favor." His voice was gruff and demanding, as it always was, and ordered him to do the obvious, as he always did. However, he held his tongue, as usual, instead answering with a polite, "Yes, father." Satisfied, Coren leaned back into his chair, gaze fixed towards the Princess.

The only other families of pure noble blood left in Hyrule, the Sylvans, the Calaghans, and the Ulbrechts, occupied the banner-draped platform with Freder and his father, sharing similar looks of veiled disgust as they gazed out over the crowd. Dhomas Calaghan and his wife Alinore sat closest, Alinore occupying the seat to his immediate left. Alinore was a fox—young, tall, with long brown hair done up in the latest fashion and wearing a form-fitting gown draped with jewels. Though Dhomas was an old man with well-known performance problems, she'd been eager for his hand when his first wife had died many years back. It never ceased to amaze him what money could do to change the minds and standards of women.

Penn Sylvan and his wife Amani sat furthest away, which was well enough for him. His family and the Sylvans had never gotten on well, and he was not eager to begin a blood fued by allowing himself close proximity to Penn's wife. Their wild night of passion a year ago when Amani had been visiting family in Menoat had been very nearly discovered, and rumors circled for months after. Though she denied it and though Penn lacked concrete evidence, he had ever since aggressively shielded her from his presence. Inwardly Freder smirked as he caught Amani's gaze out of the corner of his eye. Oh the things he had gotten her to say and do… if only Penn knew.

Hagie Ulbrecht was somewhat of a mystery to him. While a man of considerable wealth, he had chosen to marry a plain, upper-class commoner with a pathetic dowry. The man owned and maintained his family estate in the Aldor Foothills, but chose instead to live with his wife Ruli and their young daughter Hunnie in a small, boxy house in the nothing village of Tarrey Town. The two had not made the journey with him due to his daughter's mysterious illness and so Hagie sat alone, gazing out at the crowd with a faraway expression.

As the trumpeters began their call, Freder returned his attention to the central podium. He was looking forward to seeing the Princess. It had been a number of years since he'd last made her acquaintance. Her training had kept her separate from castle life, and as such his few encounters with her over the years had been fleeting. However, even in her youth she had been exceptionally pretty, and he eagerly awaited seeing how that prettiness had been transformed as she entered womanhood. If the rumors held true, she was a beauty.

As the herald finished announcing her, the Princess herself finally stepped up the stairs and onto the podium, long golden hair billowing in the wind. Freder smirked. The rumors did hold true—a beauty indeed. Her black mourning gown highlighted her trim, shapely figure, and she walked forward with an inherent grace only possible of the upper classes. Her eyes were sharp, her lips soft, but perhaps the most beautiful thing about her rested atop her head, glinting gold in the setting sunlight.

As she began to speak, Freder tuned out her words, choosing instead to eye her figure as his mind wandered to other, more important topics.

He'd lost the generalship. His father had broken the news upon his return to their estate in Menoat, and while he had been angered to hear who had stolen it from him—goddesses, a woman! And a Gerudo at that—unlike his father he wasn't entirely surprised he hadn't been chosen. In many ways the council was right. He was inexperienced, despite his extensive training. Swordsmanship and military strategy were skills, certainly, but they were not his greatest strengths. That was reserved for politics, as it was in that field his mind was most shrewd, and his experience most extensive.

Being the only male heir to the Lynnhurst line, he was due to inherit his father's position on the council when he finally passed, and it was a position he was well suited to; but Freder was a man of ambition. The generalship would have been a powerful step up, but now that he'd lost that he'd turned his eye towards… different prospects.

His gaze raked up the Princess' form, hovering where the bodice of her gown met her hips and accentuated the curvature of her backside. It was always possible that the king could wake, but after almost a month with no change, Freder felt it safe to shift his expectations to the long term. It was only a matter of time before the council got antsy and pushed to crown her. And once she was crowned, a young, inexperienced Queen without a King to share the burden of leadership, well… That was an opportunity just waiting to be exploited, and he was in a prime position to do so. None of the other families of nobility had sons near her age, and while Freder was a bit older at 21, four years was little difference when the alternative was 10 or more. Unless she chose to consider prospects in neighboring Kingdoms, which he strongly doubted given Hyrule's vulnerable state, he was currently the best and most obvious choice as a suitor. All he needed to do now was lay the groundwork.

The Princess' speech seemed to be winding to a close, and so Freder reluctantly gave his attention to her once more.

"…honor the place they held within these lands, and the place they will always hold within our hearts." She gestured with her hand, drawing forth her appointed Knight from the shadows. Freder had never gotten a good look at the Hero, and was surprised by what he saw. He was dressed in full Knight's armor, modified slightly to reflect his elevated position as the Hylian champion and the wielder of the Master Sword. He was shorter than he'd expected, and though the armor hid it well, really, he was… rather scrawny. And so young! Good heavens, he had defeated the Calamity?!

Two stewards appeared suddenly, each offering a glowing blue paper lantern. The Princess reached for hers first, followed by the Hero. As she held hers just above the wooden railing, the row of soldiers behind her stepped forward, lifting white lanterns of their own.

"May these lanterns represent the souls of our loved ones as they ascend into the silent realm, to rest in peace with the goddesses. Be at peace, friends."

Behind her the guards released their lanterns to rise slowly into the sky. Job done, they took a step back, resuming their positions in the shadow of the Castle Town wall.

"And may our fallen champions, Master Revali of the Rito, and Princess Mipha of the Zora, be greeted at the gates of the silent realm with honor and dignity by the Goddesses themselves, for it is due in part to their sacrifice that we are able to stand here today."

Freder noticed with little interest as a tear roll down down her cheek, repressing a snort. Women and their emotions. While he couldn't see the Hero's face from this vantage, his eye was caught by the Princess' sudden shift in demeanor as the Hero glanced at her. Her expression blossomed, transforming from one of stoicism to one of softness and affection.

Freder frowned, struggling to keep his expression from becoming a scowl. Well. It seemed some of the rumors did have a bit of truth to them after all. It could be nothing, just a young girls crush. That certainly seemed to be the nature of the rumors, but even still…

This would not do.

The Princess and the Hero raised their arms, releasing their balloons into the sky, and he felt an unbidden sense of satisfaction as the Hero readily stepped back, retaking his place behind her. The hero's behavior didn't seem out of the ordinary, so he assumed it likely to be a one-sided affair. And though her feelings could be a potential complication to his plans, it was no matter; with the right manipulations, he could keep that from ever becoming something more.

The Princess finished her speech with fireworks—such ridiculous pomp for a bunch of dead people—and a funeral rite, then stepped off her podium to head into the crowd, her Knight at her side. Freder watched her go, mulling over how to approach her. Attempting to woo her would be more difficult with the possible object of her affections constantly by her side. Perhaps the best approach was to sew some division? Regardless, tonight he could at least re-introduce himself, and lay the foundation from which to… encourage romantic interest.

Freder stood from his seat, bidding a polite farewell to his father as well as the other nobles who shared their platform, then slowly descended the steps, mulling over his options.

The Princess was surrounded by an eager crowd of peasants near the base of her podium, and though Freder detested mingling with the common folk, he had more to gain by willingly intermixing to encourage an image of approachability and brotherhood. He'd keep this interaction a brief, but charming one, taking the opportunity to flirt and flatter in a more private setting. Pulling his shoulders back, he made to enter the throng of people surrounding her, but they proved an impenetrable barrier. He was then struck by an idea.

In a playful yet commanding tone he spoke loudly over the crowd, "Please, gentle folk, give her Highness some breathing room! You will all get your chance, doubtless the Princess will see to that."

Startled, the crowd took an unsure step back. As the people around her took notice of his presence, they parted awkwardly to allow him room, as he suspected they would once they deigned to notice one of their betters was in their presence. Finally afforded an opportunity to squeeze between them, he stepped forward in a flourish. She seemed relieved to have a little space. Catching her eye, he reached for her gloved hand, bending low and placing a lingering kiss atop it.

"Your Highness, it is an honor to see you again after so many years."

As he straightened, he flashed her his most charming smile. Her eyes roved his face in unfamiliarity until her eyes alighted upon his pendant, and recognition shone in her features. Meeting his eyes—hers were a startlingly bright shade of green—she smiled, nodding her head ever so slightly.

"Lord Freder Lynnhurst, it has been many years. I'm delighted you were able to make it up to the castle."

He flashed his smile once more, inclining his head towards her. He risked a brief glance at her Knight out of the corner of his eye, noting he seemed relatively unmoved by the exchange, though he couldn't be sure.

"The pleasure is all mine, I would not dare to miss such an important moment in Hyrule's history. Your speech was truly moving, an account for the history books. I am glad I was here to witness it."

A faint dusting of pink peppered the Princess' cheeks at his words, much to his satisfaction, but she did not break in her countenance.

"Thank you, Lord Lynnhurst. You flatter me."

"I do no such thing, it is well deserved." It was clear he had captivated her attention, but more than that, he had captivated the attention of the crowd. Perfect. Public pressure was an excellent tool for encouraging a match. Let them all witness, and talk in the aftermath. Before she could interrupt to object once more, he reached for her hand, holding it between both of his. "I understand that this is a difficult time for all of us, but I imagine it must be most difficult for you. As we work towards recovery, if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to call upon me."

The Princess glanced briefly at their joined hands before returning her eyes to his and smiling in response, "Thank you, Lord Lynnhurst. Should the need ever arise, I certainly shall."

"You are most welcome, your Highness. And if you are ever in Menoat, please feel free to visit our humble estate. It is always open to you as a home away from home."

"You are too kind, Lord Lynnhurst."

Lifting her hand slowly to his lips once more, he held her gaze as he spoke softly.

"It is my pleasure. Good evening, your Highness."

Once more a light blush dusted the princess' cheeks as he placed a feather-light kiss atop her hand. Lowering it, he took a step back and bowed, flashing a devilish smile before turning on his heel and walking away.

Well, that went better than expected. Her Knight didn't seem bothered by… male competition, though he was an infamously difficult read. Regardless, he hoped the Princess' feelings were one-sided. If not, that may complicate matters.

Tiring of the smell of dirty peasants, Freder followed the road south-east in search of fresh air. The sky was quickly darkening, the last rays of sunlight all but extinguished. Looking around as he passed the central podium, he could see the guards filing out from behind it. They carried lantern-topped poles, recently lit by the looks of them, clutched in their gloved hands. Passing them, Freder continued on down the road until he could feel the cool breezes blowing in from across the field. Coming to stop halfway between the mass of dirty people and the mass of dirty animals lodged ahead in the temporary stable, he breathed in deep, relishing the cool, clean breeze.

As he contemplated whether to retire early for the night now that he'd seen his primary goal of this dull event accomplished, the sound of raised voices carried to his ear, drawing his attention to the stable not 200 feet ahead of him.

"He is the King! Do you not worry what it might mean for Hyrule if he is not well? The people deserve to know!"

A young woman with a traveling pack upon her back stood before the nearest guard, a notebook and pen in hand and a determined expression upon her face. With frustration and a trace of anger, the guard responded in a clear, deep voice. "Miss, I stand by the crown's statement, as I have already stated. If you continue to disrupt my post I will have you removed from the ceremony."

She paused before responding, but spoke too quietly for him to hear from this distance; but he'd already gotten the gist of it. Someone was looking for information about the King's supposed "recovery", or lack thereof. Clearly, she didn't buy the cock-and-bull story the council had sent out in their post-Calamity statement. Hmm. This could prove… useful.

The woman turned from the guard and headed in his direction. Quickly, Freder moved back towards the cover of the thronging peasants, keeping tabs on her out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure yet what he wanted to do with this surprise revelation, but shadowing her might provide some context, and some ideas.

As the young woman approached the crowd, Freder was able to get a better look at her. Short and fit, with a light dusting of freckles and brown hair woven into twin braids. She looked familiar, but he couldn't place her… Had he perhaps met her before? Shaking off the thought, he instead focused on her movements. She'd moved into line for the buffet, and so while she was facing the opposite direction Freder casually made his way across the road and into the darkness of the tree line. Leaning his shoulder against a trunk with crossed arms, he observed her from afar.

He didn't know what may have led her to question the council's official story, or why she would be so avidly looking into it, but were it to become public knowledge that the council had knowingly lied—that the King was comatose with no recovery in sight and the Princess ill-equipped to take his place, it could have some serious consequences for the people's faith and trust in the monarchy. And while he was in no hurry to overthrow the Hyrules—after the Calamity he fully recognized the necessity of keeping the Princess' blood within the royal line—chaos and instability did breed opportunity.

The next half hour was a dull one, but once she'd finished her dinner, she made an unexpected and bold move. The Princess had, in her mingling, moved nearer to the young woman, and it was before one of the monuments she approached her. She spoke politely and with respect, but from his vantage Freder could make out the nervous determination in the young woman's eyes.

"It is an honor to meet you, your Highness. Your speech was truly moving."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"My name is Trrr…isha. My name is Trisha… Smith, your Highness." Freder snorted. Smooth move. Trisha Smith? What kind of bizarre, made-up name was that? Clearly she was intentionally masking her identity. But why?

"…Where do you hail from?"

"I hail from Menoat, your Highness, south of here."

That caused Freder to lean forward with interest. She was from Menoat? Although he supposed she could be lying about that too. After all he knew just about every family which resided in Menoat, and there were no Smiths, Trisha's or otherwise. Although…

"That is a long way to travel. Thank you for your attendance, today. It is my hope that through this loss we might all forge new connections."

From the depths of his mind a memory began to stir. There were no Trisha Smiths in Menoat, but there was a Traysi Siff… She too had brown hair, and was a right pain in the ass who wouldn't let things go, just as this woman was proving to be. But most importantly, she was a journalist, the founder of that dreadful Rumor Mill, and was just the person who would be interested in the King's "condition". He had been the subject of her first major investigation, and though during the course of her queries and research they'd never crossed paths, he was pleased to say he successfully managed to foil her efforts. He hadn't seen her in years—she'd left Menoat after that, but this woman certainly looked a lot like her.

"If it is not too bold to say, when you shared your experience—of the loss of your mother, I was so moved. Though, I can't imagine how hard that experience must make it feel for your father to still be recovering from his injuries. How does the King fare, your Highness? I know all of Hyrule wishes him well."

Inwardly Freder applauded her. That was actually pretty smooth—and gutsy. She'd upped her game over the years it seemed. As expected, the princess showed her hand, and though she tried to cover her slip quickly it was already too late. He could see in 'Trisha's' eyes the triumph of victory.

"The King fares well. Thank you for coming, Trisha, and I wish you safe travels on your return home. If you'll excuse me…"

As the princess and her Knight moved away, Freder snuck around to the side of the monument, leaning casually against the stone as he observed the young woman pull forth a notebook and begin writing furiously as the Princess and her Knight moved further and further away. This had to be the same Traysi Siff of Menoat. But, just to be sure…

"Did I hear correctly that you hail from Menoat?"

The woman started, but quickly tucked away her notebook, turning to address him politely. Her eyes widened briefly with recognition as they tracked to the pendant around his neck, and though she quickly schooled her expression he knew she recognized more than his house crest. It had to be her.

"Yes, that's right. You must be a member of the Lynnhurst family. Lord Freder, son of Coren if memory serves?"

Freder pulled away from the monument in one smooth movement, striding casually towards her.

"Guilty as charged," He then flashed a charming smile as he reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips, bestowing a feather-light kiss upon her skin. As anticipated, she blushed. Women were so easily manipulated. "And you are Trisha Smith? I do not recall any family by that name. Are you newly arrived to the city?"

She was flustered, and he could see the rosy hue of embarrassment rising to her cheeks. Ah, Traysi, how little you've learned of espionage after all these years…

"I, uh… Yes, yes I am new to the city. I've lived there for… about five months?"

Without missing a beat he smiled again, displaying a dazzling row of white teeth. Not a bad attempt, but he saw right through it. Trisha Smith indeed…

"I see. Well, we Lynnhursts must be getting to be quite notorious if you're able to recognize me after so short a residence in our beloved city." He then winked at her, eliciting another blush.

"Trisha, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we cross paths some time in Menoat. Have a very pleasant evening." He then bowed low, offering her that same dazzling smile. Turning on his heel, he strode off towards the podium and out of sight.

His thoughts churned as he headed for the Castle Town gate behind the central podium. So, Traysi Siff of the Rumor Mill was once again sticking her nose where it didn't belong… Perhaps… Yes, perhaps if the Rumor Mill published a breaking news story outing the council's folly, the Princess and the council could both be easily pushed into a rushed coronation and royal wedding in a haphazard attempt to appease public concerns. And he could easily seed some rumors to aggravate such a situation. Or perhaps simply the threat of such a story might spur them to it. Either way… Freder smiled. Either way, he had a lot more cards to play if Traysi got a hot tip as to the King's true condition and the problems facing the crown.

He slipped through the gap in the Castle Town gates which were cracked enough to allow castle guests and servants to enter and exit freely. A soldier met him as he passed through to the other side, bowing politely as Freder turned to him, requesting his horse. Time was short, but if he worked quickly he could see it done tonight.

It was time to call upon the services of a certain Sheikah in his employ.

A/N: Aaaah, Freder. Ya'll didn't think he'd be coming back, did you? I'd LOVE to know what you thought about this chapter and about Freder's character in general. This was really interesting and challenging to write, and surprisingly fun considering he's kind of a villain.

Also, the Smith thing is kind of my own personal joke, since Nintendo always makes LoZ characters have the most ridiculous names, I sorta figured in the LoZ universe the most common and plain western name was to them what Tingle or Bosphoramus is to us.

Fav and follow, and leave me a review to read to while I do my taxes! Pretty please!