Sunlight awoke Zelda and the young princess sat up, stretching languidly and letting out a soft moan as she glanced around. Slipping from her bed, the Hyrulian princess slid into a slip and gown before making her way down to the dining hall for breakfast. She was thankful that none of the princes had caught on to the fact that she arrived to breakfast early and she could spend this time in relative quiet, conversing with princesses about their homes and what everything was really like. The princesses told her about how things truly were, unlike the princes. They spoke of the battles, of poverty, how the peasants were treated and such. Most admired the fact that, even though Zelda continued to live in the castle, she made certain that her people were at least well-fed and cared for. The guards did not run rampant beating on the weak and stealing money or anything of the like.
In return, Zelda told them of her home and the hardships she had faced when her parents had passed. Many of them took pity on her and offered advice on how to get through long boring meetings and conferences. Zelda also confided in them about the possibility of her wishing to marry a woman, but that the woman hadn't been able to make it due to living too far away. The other princesses had been surprised at first, but had nodded in understanding and told her that if she truly loved that princess, then tell her Chief Advisor. The young princess was thankful for their help and continued on with her meal, making her way back to her room before any of the princes noticed that she was not there and went out to try and get her alone.
Good morning, love. Zelda smiled at the voice of her beloved ringing in her mind.
Good morning, Midna. How are you?
Tired. The Twili yawned as she replied to the younger princess. I was up reading most of the night.
I am sorry. I will read with you tonight if you wish.
I would love your company. Midna smiled as she could almost see the flattered blush on Zelda's cheeks.
Then I shall join you. Zelda moved to her closet to get ready for the day, choosing a simple lavender gown to wear for the most part of the day while preparations for the ceremony were in order. She knew that most of the princes would be watching the ballroom be made up, wanting to see how it would be decorated this time, so the young princess decided that she would only wear the gown if she were going to leave her room.
Not so interested in leaving today? Midna asked, noticing Zelda simply laying the gown on the end of the bed.
Not really. I do not like being gawked at or talked to by people who see me as nothing more than an object to make their own kingdoms more beautiful.
Midna nodded in understanding, leaving her own room to attend to her duties as ruler. Well, that is understandable. And considering they are your courting ceremonies, no one really expects you to be out fo your room and talking to the princes. That's what the ceremonies and dinners are for.
Exactly. Zelda agreed. Besides, I have spent the last two days doing nothing but talking to them and studying portals with you. Perhaps just a bit of extra sleep or even a chance to lie down would be more desirable to going out there, yes?
Most definitely, Princess. Take a nap. I must go do my duties as ruler anyway.
Zelda smiled and slipped back into her bed, sliding back into dreamland as effortlessly as if she hadn't left. A knock on her door awoke her a few horus later and the Hyrulian princess stretched and yawned, eyeing the four servant girls that had helped her the first time. Smiling, she beckoned them inside and allowed them to look through her things.
As the seventeen-year-old and the fourteen-year-old prepared her bath early, Zelda watched the twelve-year-old go through her her wardrobe and the nine-year-old searched through her make-up. When the water was ready, the seventeen-year-old and the fourteen-year-old returned and Zelda stood, ready to follow them into the bathroom to be bathed.
A shining cerulean blue dress was laid out on the bed, awaiting Zelda for when she was returned from her bath. The princess smiled at the four young girls and dismissed them once they had finished their task. Sitting on her bed, she pulled on her boots herself and stood before the full-length mirror on her closet door. The material swirled around her beautifully, her boots preventing any sight of her ankles. The corset sparkled slightly as she moved and the dress shimmered in response to every turn she did.
Beautiful. Midna's eyes widened at the images filtering into her mind and the sight before her.
Thank you. Zelda replied before sighing. I suppose I should head down to the ceremony now, before everyone begins to worry. I will talk to you again tonight?
Count on it. Midna agreed.
Zelda nodded and made her way down the stairs, waiting by the grand staircase much the same as she had the first time. This time, however, Chief Advisor Delak cleared his throat and called, "And to begin the evening, Princess Zelda of Hyrule." There was applause as Zelda descended the stairs and many of the princes retreated into the hall since they could not ask her hand to dance unless they were already in there. Zelda kept the smile on her face as she took a deep breath. She entered the hall and the other princesses instantly gave her warm smiles as they tried to distract most of the princes as best they could.
Prince Freido smiled politely as he walked over to the young princess and Zelda gave him an amicable smile in return.
"Good evening, Your Majesty." He murmured with a short bow.
"And to yourself, Prince Freido." Zelda replied with a curtsy.
"May I have this dance?"
"It would be a pleasure."
Zelda let Freido guide her to the dance floor and lead the dance. Their bodies were closer than normal, but neither made any comment on it because they did not notice.
"How have you been within the last two days?" Freido inquired calmly.
"I have been busy. I am in the library most of my time."
"You enjoy your studies then?"
"No, I am researching something for my own reasons."
"Then I wish you good luck on your search, Princess."
Zelda cocked her head in confusion and looked up into his eyes, noticing that the left one had silver specks all through it. "Your eye." She murmured.
"Yes, a gift from the Goddesses, I suppose."
"Oh? How so?" Zelda asked, looking up at him curiously.
Freido surveyed the young woman, trying to see if she meant it as a reason to seduce him. But Zelda seemed genuinely curious and polite, so he replied, "I would have been blind in this eye had they not interfered and given it to me." It was partly the truth. In actuality, he couldn't see anything of the present from the eye, but it did give him many different outcomes of the future choices he and those closest to him made.
Zelda nodded and swung into the twirl he directed her into. "Then I am thankful that the Goddesses did such a thing. I may not have met you otherwise."
Freido smiled and dipped his head, twirling her to the next prince. Moving over to the refreshment table, the handsome prince snagged a cow breast sandwich. Watching the princess as she danced with the other princes, he shook his head at the naivety of his comrades. She was obviously interested in someone, but that someone must not have been able to come to the courting ceremonies. As he watched, the princess was twirled about and offered riches and lands beyond her deepest desire, but it was all falling on deaf ears. She wasn't interested in any of them.
Zelda spun to the next suitor and found herself standing in the arms of Inuri. This time, the other princess had decided to don informal clothing. She was wearing a dark green tank top that showed off her very well-worked arms, a very short black skirt to show off her equally as muscular legs and a pair of black knee-high boots to complete the outfit. In her ears, she was wearing two pairs of onyx earrings and she had adorned her neck with a simple silver chain hosting an emerald pendant. Zelda's breath caught at the absolute beauty of the outfit.
Inuri grinned. So she is not completely immune to my charms then. However, Zelda recovered much more quickly than Inuri expected and smiled, curtsying as the next song began to play.
"How are you this evening, Princess Inuri?" she asked amicably.
"Very well, Your Highness." Inuri replied, wondering how Zelda had gotten over her shock so quickly. "And how are you, Princess Zelda?"
"I am doing fine, thank you."
They danced in silence for a bit before Zelda asked, "What is Leganeles like?"
"We have very beautiful land, Princess." Inuri instantly replied. "My parents are very friendly to the peasants. I'm certain you would be welcome with open arms."
"I am not certain of that. I would miss my castle, my kingdom, my servants. I may feel homesick."
Inuri moved closer with one step, bringing their bodies closer than the dance required. "You know, Princess," she began. "Leganeles' landscape is much like that of Hyrule. Plenty of valleys, hills, lakes, fields and such. I'm certain that such a place would not cause quite as much homesickness as you would think."
"Still, I do prefer my family's castle. It has been my home for so long that I would dearly miss it and its staff."
"And yet, you would make an excellent queen for my people as well. Think of our two kingdoms; there would be not a match for them in the world. No one would dare attempt an attack on either. Especially since Leganeles is not too terribly far from here, only two days' ride by horse."
Zelda mulled this over and decided that there was a slight discontent about her at the thought of becoming Inuri's queen. And of course, there were no feelings except amicable ones to Inuri's brother, Freido, so there would be no way for her to become a queen of Leganeles at all. "I am sorry, Inuri, but I will have to decline. I… I am not interested."
Inuri frowned. Does she truly prefer Freido? If so, then this will be more difficult than I thought. I cannot have his bride, after all; it is improper family etiquette. Best make certain. "You wish to be with my brother then?"
Zelda gave her a polite smile. "No, that is not the case at all. Your brother and I are very affable, but I feel nothing but companionship toward him. I am interested in neither of you. Someone else holds my heart." Quite firmly, I hope. Midna grumbled from where she was doing sit-ups. Zelda wisely ignored her for the moment.
Inuri growled under her breath at the sentence. Someone else? Who else could possibly be better than Leganeles royalty? We are the best! "Who is he?" she demanded, her voice sharper than she intended; she had wanted it to sound curious, but it instead came out as a harsh order for information.
Zelda noticed the change and fought not to raise an eyebrow at the change. It seems she may become violent when she does not get what she wants. I certainly hope it is not a family trait. Deciding about this time that she did not like the way Inuri was acting, Zelda resolved to find a way for Midna to return to her or she would create one herself. The Hyrulian princess smiled smally. "Perhaps you will meet them at the next ceremony."
Inuri's cerulean eyes narrowed doubtfully. I am not entirely certain how effective that will be. All I will do is challenge them to a duel and then, naturally, they will fall. But if you wish it, Princess. "It would be an honor to meet the very person that stole the heart of someone as high as yourself, Princess Zelda. I will be anticipating our meeting." And the battle for that heart.
Midna's eyes narrowed much the same Inuri's had, but hers was more out of suspicion than doubt. She's planning something. The Twili mused. She has the warrior's look of battle about her. She's planning a duel. Midna snorted and continued the pushups she had moved on to. As if she could beat me in a duel. I'd like to see her try.
Zelda, unaware of either trains of thought, gave one last polite smile before spinning away from Inuri and into the arms of the next person attempting to court her, leaving Inuri to stew over what was to happen next. Moving over to the refreshments table, the redhead growled softly.
How could she choose someone, anyone, over those from Leganeles? Our kingdom could easily surpass her own if my parents were not so kindhearted to the people. An iron fist is just as good as an open heart.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Freido moved over to her. "Inuri, I trust you are well?"
"Knock it off with that eye of yours, Freido." Inuri snarled referring to the eye that had specks of silver within; the same specks that Zelda had noticed earlier that evening. "What do you want?"
"You seem put off." Freido shrugged. "I wanted to know why."
"She does not want either one of us." Inuri deadpanned, not bothering to beat around the bush.
Freido stayed silent for a moment, already knowing this information due to his eye. After a moment, he said conversationally, "I suppose that means that neither of us have any need to be here then."
Inuri snorted derisively and turned to her brother. "Brother, you should know by now that I do not give up nearly as easily. If she will not come quietly, I will provide her with a reason to join us. Right after I defeat whoever it could possibly be that has captured her heart."
"Sister, please, are you certain that is wise? This is not Nietta or Solaris or Accuntarin. This is Hyrule. The family here is riddled with all sorts of talents that, no doubt would be passed to its last descendent due to the Fates knowing it would happen. She has brains, she has resources, she knows battle strategy. Whoever she could have possibly chosen would have been what's best for her. Don't do this Inuri."
"You honestly think whoever it is will beat me?" Inuri inquired, raising an eyebrow and turning fully to face her brother.
"Sister, this is Hyrule." Friedo reiterated. "The men are much bigger and much more dangerous here. If the princess goes missing and does not confess of going for her own free will, then horrible things could happen to our family and, in turn, our kingdom."
Inuri scoffed in contempt and flipped her shoulder length red hair arrogantly. "Brother, you underestimate my ability to protect myself. I've pined after this particular princess for a long time and no one will keep her from me."
Freido's eyebrows knit together in worry. He knew that Inuri was acting off her emotions, but his eye was showing him bad things for Inuri's future. Making one last attempt to save his sister from certain death, he pleaded, "Sister, I have a bad feeling about this. Please, I beg you, do not pursue Princess Zelda the way you did the others. Remember them? They will be devastated more than usual if you are not to return."
Inuri glared at him angrily, furious at his audacity to bring up… them. She turned on her heel and began striding away, looking over her shoulder to address him. "They will be fine because I am returning home. You speak nonsense, Brother. Just keep out of it this time and I will be fine. Everything will go according to plan, as always."
She continued her leisurely gait away from the biggest nuisance of her existence. Just because they were twins did not give Freido authority to dictate her actions. I should have been the one born with the gifted eye. She seethed as she walked into the hallway and made her way out of the castle. I will show him who truly deserves it. Once Hyrule is conjoined with Leganeles, the Fates will not question who the eye belongs to and the Goddesses will give it to me. Until then, I had better continue my preparation.
Freido stayed near the refreshment table, watching his sister as she disappeared. His ears drooped slightly as she vanished around the corner and he could not stop the eye from giving him the decisions that his sister usually made. Except this time, a strange blue figure was involved. Perhaps it is a person with colored armor? He wondered to himself. Deciding that that was the best option he looked again to where Inuri had vanished. She knows that I am always right when I have a bad feeling. I suppose I had better contact Mother and Father as soon as possible. They have a right to know what is happening.
On the other side of the ballroom, Zelda had just finished another dance and was quite tired of all the princes she was meeting. There were not nearly as many princesses as there were princes, but at least the princesses seemed to realize that none of them were up to her tastes, which was more observation than what Zelda could credit the princes with. Or perhaps it was the stubbornness of males. She wondered offhandedly as she made her way toward the refreshment table.
Before she could make her way there, however, a figure stepped in front of her and bowed. Zelda curtsied in return and realized, with no small amount of relief, that it was her Chief Advisor in front of her instead of another prince, lusting for her attentions.
"Hello, Your Majesty." Delak murmured, dipping his head. "I trust your evening is going well?" He could see the minuscule signs of tiredness in the princess' appearance and he cursed protocol for making it duty for him to ask.
Zelda forced a smile onto her face and nodded, not trusting herself to give a response like what was expected of her. All she wanted was to head to her chamber, strip to her slip and sink into her bed. But of course, she promised Midna that she would study more of the tomes on portals, vortexes and such tonight.
Delak seemed to notice that she was under stress and sighed softly to himself, much to Zelda's comfort. He had been with her since she was an infant, after all. He was her personal advisor as well as her chief. Delak gave another bow and asked, "Have you made a choice in who you wish to marry?"
Zelda's face fell at this. She still had yet to tell Delak about Midna. Clearing her throat to get her thoughts together, the princess murmured, "Not quite yet, Advisor." Delak's ears drooped at this. Zelda understood his melancholy. It was unsettling having others within the castle. So she decided to liven his spirits what little she could. "But I will most certainly have an answer next ceremony. I have a few choices in mind, I am just not completely certain of them."
Delak nodded, not pressing her for who her choices may be. Zelda was not one to make decisions without proper reasoning. She would have her decision next ceremony of that he was sure. "I hope so, Your Majesty. Some of the other princes are getting slightly anxious to know your choice. Many have even approached me, demanding to know if you had confided in me."
Zelda's eyes widened a fraction and Delak quickly calmed her by saying, "They did not use force, but they were very persistent. You say only one last ceremony is needed?"
Zelda nodded calmly. "Yes, Delak, only one."
"Then I cannot wait to hear it. Have a wonderful two days of peace, Princess Zelda."
Zelda nodded to him and slowly made her way up to her room. Slowly stripping of her dress, the Hyrulian princess was not surprised to hear a lofty voice echo through her head. Rough night? Midna inquired.
Like nothing I've ever experienced before. Zelda replied back. And I've been to several balls since I was crowned.
Poor thing. Midna cooed, wishing she was there to cuddle the other woman. She simply wanted to surround Zelda with herself so that the Hyrulian was comforted and soothed after such an ordeal with so many people all wanting her at once. Would you like to sleep?
No, I am fine. I will head to the library once I have gotten myself situated. I believe that I may need a bath once I am finished though. I am so tired.
Midna cocked her head. As you wish Zelda, but it is doubtful that we will find anything this time either.
Zelda felt a small smile playing at her lips. You never know until you try. She replied, slipping into a nightdress and making her way out to the library; thankfully, she was unnoticed this time.
True. So, ready to start, Princess?
Of course. Zelda looked up at all of the books surrounding her and resigned herself to a long night of research. Just then, she got a flash of her resolve from Inuri's earlier actions and shuddered at the thought of not finding a way for her beloved to return to her. Setting her jaw in determination, she set to work.
Hope ya liked it!