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Title: Dawn's Early Light
Chapter 3: Elucidate *
Author: Sailor Song
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ELUCIDATE (verb): make (something) clear; explain
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"Good morning, my lady," a cheerful voice rang out as the curtains were drawn, letting in the bright light of morning.
As her senses began to awaken, she was suddenly overwhelmed by everything at once. Memories of the night before came racing back, and as she sat up in the bed, she became all too aware of an aching tenderness in her nether regions. Realizing why she was so sore, she turned to look at the opposite side of the bed, but saw that she was alone.
"Where is Link?" she asked the lady's maid, she recognized to be the red-haired girl who had assisted her the night before.
"He was called away early this morning to begin working with the high council," the girl replied as she lay a dressing gown on the bed.
Zelda took a step back at hearing this. "Didn't they ask for me to join him?" What's more, didn't Link want her there?
"It all happened so fast," the maid replied. "I'll send word while you eat. Your breakfast is on the table. Once you are finished, ring for me and I shall return to help you dress."
Zelda shifted, causing her attention to return to the aching soreness below. Suddenly desperate to relieve herself, she hurried to the privy. Upon the hard, wooden seat, she waited patiently for her bladder to fully empty. Finally finished, she cleaned herself, but before rising, she let her hand linger a little longer. Curiously, she extended one finger inside her folds, exploring the still sensitive area Link had touched the night before. Nothing she did could reproduce the sensations she had felt, and so with a sigh, she pulled down her nightgown and returned to her bed to grab the dressing robe.
Although she had barely eaten the night before, she could only manage to pick at the breakfast items that had been left for her. The tea was new, with a grassy taste though not at all bitter. It made her smile as she thought of Link and how he used to smell of the fields of Hyrule.
She dressed herself, and once she was satisfied with her appearance, set out for the high council chambers.
How could they all dismiss her so suddenly? She had stood in for her father for months, serving as best as she could through perhaps one of the worst experiences in Hyrule's history, recent history at least, but because a male was now available, it seemed she was to be cut out of all foreign and domestic decisions for the kingdom.
Mere moments after setting foot outside of her room, she came face-to-face with the person she did not want to see.
"Hello, sister." Her brother gave her a smile that sent a shiver down her spine. "I didn't expect you to be out of bed so soon after your wedding night. Or that you would be able to walk after he-"
"Where's Link? Why did the council want him there and not me?"
"Why would he need you there? You've played enough, but we're talking about man's work. There's no place for you."
She pushed past him, not wanting to fall into whatever trap he was hoping to pull her into, and tried to continue on to her destination. Tried, but failed, and his vice-like hand gripped around her wrist.
"Let me go," she demanded.
"So angry," he cooed. "Did your hero not satisfy you with that tiny cock of his? Were you hoping to find something bigger to fuck now that you got a taste for it. Another guard perhaps?"
"Shut up."
"That isn't it. We both know you already acquired a taste for it a while ago… What you did to that poor, poor stable-boy. But you never really cared about his fate-"
"Shut up!" she shouted, pushing him, only to find her back thrust forcefully against the stone wall.
"Oh, maybe you did care. Or maybe you are wondering how long it will be until your husband finds out?"
"You know that was all a lie."
"We only have your word on that now, don't we?" When she didn't reply, he leaned in close. "You want my advice? Get him to come inside of you until your belly is swollen with his heir. The sooner the better because a child will make it harder for him to ask for an annulment once he learns the truth about what a filthy whore you really are."
She hadn't realized that it was her brother keeping her on her feet until he let her go and she slipped to the ground.
Sometime later she was found by her red-haired lady's maid, who led her back to her room all the while giving her a gentle scolding.
It took her some time to compose herself, but she came to the conclusion that her brother was right, at least partially. The sooner Link knew what had happened, the truth of it, the better.
She spent much of the day preparing herself for his return. At last, as the sun began to set over the mountains that overlooked Hyrule, she began to watch the door. Word came that she would have to eat dinner alone, but she had no stomach, her nerves had gotten the best of her. Only the tea that smelled of the fields could have brought her some comfort, but this one that had been served with dinner was different. It reminded her of… of…
Without knowing it, she had drifted off to sleep, waking only briefly to find she had been moved to the bed and Link was asleep beside her.
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One after the next, days and then weeks passed like this, where all she saw of her husband was a darkened silhouette of his exhausted, sleeping form beside her in the bed. She had made attempts to see him, to stay awake at least so they could talk, but he always arrived after she had fallen asleep and he was gone by the time she woke the next morning. Any time she attempted to leave her chambers, she was always stopped by someone - usually her brother - along the way. There had to be another path, but wh-
The secret passage, of course! Link hadn't known about it until he sought it out, which meant that the other soldiers were unaware of its existence. Daltus couldn't have known about it either, or else he would have used it to terrorize her more than he already did. She had maybe one chance to use this escape, so she had to make the most of it. After a day of careful planning, she succumbed to slumber.
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Cloaked in the dark cape she hadn't worn since her days of Twilight captivity, she successfully navigated her way undetected through the palace all the way up to the throne room. Here, she mingled among the citizens of Hyrule, making sure to keep a few rows between her and the front so as not to be recognized.
She stood silently back, trying to hear what was happening. From what she could assess, Link was on the throne attempting to hear concerns from citizens.
"Poor lad," the man beside her said. "They're putting him right into the fire."
"How so?" she asked.
"Them royals," he continued on with a tsk, "they left that boy to deal with some of the most complex issues of the kingdom while they dally away."
She narrowed her eyes as she gave him a sideways glance, but he must not have noticed because he continued on.
"To think, he was forced to marry the princess."
"I don't know if I'd say he was forced to," she mumbled under her breath.
"Oh don't get me wrong. I mean no offense to her royal highness," he said. "It's just, the boy did such a service to us with that whole Twilight thing… if it were me, I would have wanted to retire to a quiet life."
She looked to Link, who was hearing a case from an elderly woman who was having trouble with wolfos attacking her sheep. He was so attentive, leaving his seat to kneel down to her. Out of earshot of the rest, he whispered something to her before calling over one of the guards to help her down the stairs.
"Next case," the herald shouted.
She watched with the others as a few more individuals came forward.
"How many of these are there?" she asked. It was not a task she had been asked to take on during her time filling in for her father.
"T'weren't all that many the first day," the man replied. "At least, not many who asked for help. Most who came were only here to get a look at the hero and future king."
"And now?" she asked, looking around at the crowd packed in on both sides of the great hall.
"Rumors started circulating that whatever requests were made would be dealt with in a day or so."
"Such as?"
He scratched his beard and looked around. "Ah, see that man over there. He told a story about skulltulas outside his home and how their scratching terrified his children every night. A couple of days later, the man returned to thank the Hero because the problem had been taken care of."
"Is that so?" she asked, looking to Link. "Did he give any explanation as to what happened?"
"Not at all. But this wasn't the only such story of a problem being taken care of so thoroughly. Word spread quickly, and now…" He gestured around the room.
She did not take her eyes away from her husband. Even though they barely knew one another, she could tell he was weary. Oh, how he put on a show for the audience, but there was something in his eyes that gave it away.
"I'm sorry," he could be heard saying as he flipped through paperwork. "Diplomatic matters are still new to me."
"I understand," the man before him said. Zelda recognized his livery as that worn by heralds by the neighboring kingdom of Akkala. Why would the council force Link to take on so much all at once? Why would her brother...
She looked to see Daltus smiling off to the side. He seemed to be getting pleasure from seeing Link's discomfort as the diplomat talked about the treaty. That explained it, she thought, but how could she be of help to him if they kept her locked away in her gilded cage.
"You must pardon me," Link interrupted the other man, "but there is another here who has more experience with such matters, and she should be included in this negotiation."
He walked down from the platform and walked down into the crowd, walked toward-
"Princess Zelda," he spoke, extending his hand toward her. "If you would please join me, I would appreciate the help of your wisdom and insight with these sensitive negotiations."
There were gasps and murmurs in the crowd, but none of that mattered. She took his offered hand, and allowed herself to be escorted up to the platform. Her cape was removed by a servant at some point before she made it to the top of the stairs, leaving her feeling exposed in her blue and white gown.
Together, both she and Link worked through the treaty with the diplomat, and once terms had been negotiated, an informal arrangement was ready to be sent back to the neighboring kingdom.
She was impressed with all he had learned in such a short time, and it made her wonder why he felt he could not handle this on his own.
Not long after he had revealed her presence, he asked that the proceedings be ended for the day. With no objections, the people began to file out, though a few lingered behind to call out blessings to the princess and the Hero. When only a handful of nobles remained, Link offered her his arm, which she took with no prompting.
"Sir-" one of the council members began, but he was not given the chance to continue.
"My wife and I would like to spend some time together alone," Link interrupted. "Please cancel all other plans on my itinerary."
"Yes, sir," the man replied, stepping aside to let the pair pass.
They walked in silence through the halls. For her part, Zelda was not sure what to say after so many days spent apart, but she could not think of why Link would not say a word to her. It was like this all the way to their chambers.
"Link-"
He put his finger to his lips, cautioning her to silence as he opened the door to the room.
"Welcome back, Sir," the red-haired lady's maid greeted. "My lady, when did you leave?"
Zelda hadn't really considered what she would say once she had escaped her rooms. "I...um…"
"We would like supper sent up here," Link interjected for her. "Then we would like privacy for the rest of the evening. Could you arrange that for us?"
"Yes, m'lord," she said with a curtsy as she saw herself out.
Link watched the door after she left. "You used the passage, right?" he asked, speaking in a voice a little colder than she was expecting.
She nodded in reply, but when he didn't look at her, she whispered, "Yes."
"Did anyone see you?"
"No."
She heard him let out a sigh of relief. "I'm going to lie down for a bit. Go ahead and eat without me."
Link was gone into the inner bed chamber before she could respond. What had happened to him? He had always been so sweet, so innocent, so kind. Did he know? Did he hate her now? Was this to be her life - marriage to a man who resented her?
She didn't hear the food delivery; it was the smell of it that snapped her back to her senses. Standing, she walked past the table and into the bedroom where her husband lay.
"Link?" she whispered as she walked over to him. When he did not stir, she slipped her fingers through his own, and the warm hand enveloped her own with a gentle squeeze.
He opened his eyes to look into her own. Within seconds, he sat up suddenly and started to pull away from her grasp, but she would not let him go.
"Please," she whispered. "Please don't leave me."
"I won't," he replied. "I only wanted to get a blanket or cloak to wrap you in. You are trembling."
Trembling? Was she? She said nothing, only nodded and released her grasp on his hand. He was gone only seconds before returning with exactly what he had promised, wrapping her up tight and then putting his own arms around her.
After a while, when she had calmed down, her curiosity got the better of her. "Link, I'm confused about everything going on right now." He said nothing in response, only waiting patiently for her to continue. "Do you… are you unhappy with me?"
"I have never once been unhappy with you," he replied. "But if I'm being honest, I had hoped things might be different by now."
"What do you mean?"
"Zelda," he said, his voice breaking. "I am so in love with you, surely you must be aware of this fact by now."
He was what? "You're what?"
"I love you," he repeated with more composure this time. "But I have made a terrible error because it is clear to me now that you don't feel the same."
"What do you mean, I-"
She stopped talking when he stood and walked away from her to look out the window. "Please, don't deny it. I told you I would not touch you again until you asked, so what am I supposed to think when I come to our chambers every night and find you sound asleep. It is quite clear that you want nothing to do with me."
"No," she cried. "I have tried waiting up for you, but you are always gone so late."
"With schedules that keep me busy from sunup to sundown. Schedules that you approve," he replied calmly. "Everything I have done has been to please you."
"I approve?" she asked in complete shock. "I have not done anything for days other than sit and read books and papers. I have been trapped alone in these horrid rooms, the only person I've spoken to besides my maids is-."
"Daltus," he finished for her. She nodded, confirming his suspicions. "I've seen enough of him myself recently."
"He's…" she whispered so softly, she wasn't even sure he could hear.
Link returned to her on the bed. "Go on," he prompted. "He's what?"
"Dangerous," she finished, and with those words, a floodgate opened. She pressed herself into his chest and cried tears she hadn't known would still exist. "I… Link, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but on our wedding night, when you and I… there shouldn't have been any blood."
"I know."
"What, you what?"
He held up his finger to show a tiny scratch that had nearly healed. "It was my blood, not yours. I didn't get any on you, only the sheets when I was cleaning us up."
"How?"
"My earring," he said, pointing to one of the blue hoops. "I may not know much about this life you live, but when I figured out what your brother was up to that night, I was determined to foil his plan."
She didn't know how to respond. All this time, she had been led to believe her mistakes would destroy her future and send her into a terrible match. She never considered the fact that the man she'd end up marrying someone she'd actually care about. "There wasn't supposed to be blood," she said again.
"You don't have to explain anything to me," he replied. "Your past doesn't matter."
"You've already heard the stories," she said sadly. He gave a slight nod to affirm her suspicions were correct. "I'd like you to hear it all from me. I don't know if it will change what you think, but I don't want you to wonder," she said. He nodded again, giving her the go ahead to continue. "I grew up riding horses. Even as a young girl, I craved escape from the palace and the trite gossip of noble girls. Eventually it was the stable-boy who became my first and only real friend, and in time, he was the first boy I ever kissed." She paused, giving Link a chance to ask any questions he might have.
"Your brother knew about this?"
She nodded. "Yes, and I suspect it was he who first started circulating the rumors about us. It frightened the stable-boy, who distanced himself from me after that. I was upset and went riding, but I had failed to check that the saddle was properly fastened. My horse was spooked, and I…"
"You fell?"
"Yes," she whispered. "The stable-boy was the first to find me down in a ravine. I was a mess, my clothes were torn and bloody from the fall, so when he carried me back, everyone thought he had…" She choked up. Even after all this time. "It was my own fault, but it was the stable-boy who was blamed and worse. There was nothing I could do or say to defend him, and he was..." She paused again and took a deep breath. "And then, the royal physician delivered more news: my lower region had been jostled in the fall and my maidenhood ruptured. I would not bleed on my wedding night, making me no longer viable for marriage negotiations."
This time, Link said nothing.
"By the time I realized that it meant my future had been stolen from me, word about my condition was too widespread to stop. As I got older, Daltus constantly used it against me, spreading rumors and lies. That's why he was gone from Hyrule during the attack. He was off trying to arrange my marriage to some dusty old foreign earl who wouldn't care about my virginity, but would still be willing to pay loads of money for my name."
"I must have been a huge disappointment then."
"Only to him." She felt herself give a smile, her first in who knows how long. Then, becoming serious again, she said, "Link, I do care for you. I've never been very good about showing emotion or affection. I would like… I wish to prove that to you. I want to feel you… I want us to…"
"Say it," he whispered.
"Make love to me," she whispered, overcome with embarrassment.
His lips captured her own, all of the passion and vigor he had been holding back suddenly surging through her. At first she worried about what to do, where to put her hands was especially troublesome. She finally settled with entwining them in the blanket until he pulled away.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'm still not sure what to do."
"It'll be an adventure for us both to share." When that did not help to calm her, he tried to lighten the mood by asking, "Shall I take the lead on our expedition?"
His joke was terrible, but it made her laugh a little, probably from awkwardness more than anything else, but it did help make her feel calm. She gave a nod, indicating that she was ready to proceed.
He pulled gently at a lace, but stopped before the bow came undone. "If you want to stop at any point-"
"I will tell you, I promise," she assured him. "And if there is something I can do…"
"Explore," he whispered in her ear as he continued on.
She let go of the blanket and raised her hand to trace the outline of his jaw. Underneath the skin, she could feel his facial muscles raise into a smile. Reassured by the response, she moved the other hand up to run her fingers through his hair. For this, he leaned in and kissed her once more on the lips, pulling back on a little to kiss her next on her neck, an area she had never realized to be so sensitive. She squirmed a little and unconsciously moved her hand from his jaw down to his chest where she could feel his heart racing.
They both stopped and looked at one another in the midst of their investigating. Her eyes saw his hands had stopped their movement, for it seemed they were now the only thing keeping her dress covering her upper region. She could sense that he wanted her approval, and though he already had it, she wanted to reassure him it was okay to continue.
"Explore," she whispered to him as she continued to run her fingers through his hair.
They both did just that, and after a satisfying session of passionate love-making, the only sound that could be heard was of the pair gasping for breath. Zelda, who typically found herself overthinking everything, suddenly found herself unable to keep a single thought in her head. Feeling a mixture of dizziness and euphoria, she giggled and pressed her body up against Link's.
He kissed her on the nose. "Did you enjoy that adventure, Princess?"
"Very much," she affirmed. "You?"
"Exploration, action, treasure…" His words hung in the air as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I could go on this mission again and again, and I think I would find something new every time."
"Cute," she said. "Terribly unpoetic, but cute."
He shrugged. "I'm a hero, not a writer."
That night, the couple blissfully fell asleep in each other's arms, completely unaware of what was happening in another part of the castle, not knowing that the next day, their lives would drastically change once more.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter has been edited here because the Mature rating does not allow for explicit content. If you want to read the full, unedited piece, you can find the story with the same name (title and author) on AO3. Any chapter that has been edited here will have an asterisks by the chapter title.
