A/N: Welcome, SithChop, Lisa Russell, skatz (for some reason fanfiction won't let me write your full name - are you a spell castor lol), and Flydaze - I'm tired, but so thankful you all have joined the story!
Bare with me - I know we've been on the same day since chapter 10, but this is the last of the musings.
Like always, feel free to comment and request some art you'd like to see, and I'll post it to the fanfiction's tumblr page. In the meantime, feel free to read, hang out, and tell me if any character sticks out to you. I'm an odd mix of Leekah and Paya with a lot of Link's awkwardness thrown in. Who are you?
Enjoy!
Update: 03-26-22
Chapter Thirteen
Zelda sat at the head table of the Shut Eye Inn's lobby, clinging to her lessons in etiquette to cope with the charming surprises of the night.
While people came and went, shaking her hand and sloshing their hot tea, the famous Princess of Hyrule maintained a convincing air of professionalism. She carried the conversations and catered to Mellie and Nanna when the elderly sheikah women quizzed her on outdated customs. She could mimic their laughter and entertain their bantering, all while keeping her elbows off the table. Her posture was stone-wall straight. And while tethering her teaspoon in her right hand, she only sipped at the bamboo cup during a pause in the chit-chat - when it rarely came, of course. But, not even cold lemon tea could stunt that royally trained smile. Seventeen years beneath the courtly whip had her propelling the Queenly facade, for with she shielded herself.
But just beneath the surface bubbled a stark incredulouness - a dizzying disbelief denying two facts that kept her in a regal haze. One, it had been a lovely night with all the undeserved camaraderie, laughter, and gourmet dishes. And two, Link had accepted her proposal.
When Mellie and Nanna left her, bidding the Princess goodnight with a half dozen kisses on the cheek, Zelda fell prey to her thoughts. Should Link burst through the door and recant his words? Would bomb arrows reign down on the ceiling? Distracted, she reached for a spoon full of honey and dipped it into her bamboo cup - though it clanked against the wood. She peered inside to find it empty.
"Need a refill, Princess!" Whispered Leekah - a sudden hot breath in her ear. Zelda jumped in her seat, dropping the regal shield.
"Oh, Leekah," Zelda recovered, catching her breath. She surrendered her cup, "My apologies. I was not expecting someone behind me."
The mother dipped low with a hot kettle in her hand and poured, "I'm hiding the kettle from the innkeeper. Lazy bag of beans, I had to rescue it from the fire."
Across the room, Ollie the innkeeper was mingling idly with the guests - his posture, slouched; his eyes, lidded and lazy while he butted into the conversation with his own boasts. Behind him was an enclave fuming with blackened smoke - burning hot cakes neglected in an old black oven.
"I have never ever burned a cake!" Fumed Leekah, tapping her foot. "And to think he has such a pretty stove! If that was my stove - oh, don't get me started, Princess. I'm seconds from taking over this inn!"
"I cannot deny you." Came Zelda all too quickly, surprising herself.
"Watch me save those cakes!" Winked the woman before skipping away.
Watching her go, Zelda sipped at her hot tea, wondering if she could afford to feel this nice.
A twinkling wonderland of candles and cherry blossom wreaths surrounded her, promising a splendid evening if she were to sit back and relax. The warm glow of the flickering firelight danced in the glass vases that adorned each table in azulene nightshade. Around the abundant flowers floated a diverse cast of guests - dirty thugs and pristine villagers adorned in ceremonial silk. The pristine sheikah elderly stood among Hylian mothers, bantering and cooing as Nanna bounced a baby to sleep. Wary guards kept sizing up Box and other tall brutes while their children played hide-n-seek between the woven table runners that completed each dining set. Up against the dormitory wall, a lutist struck up a chord with borrowed strings, gifting the ambiance with a relaxing melody. Bursting from that same wall came Gen and a pal, both shaking their bottles of liquor before pouring it out to share. And while the humble tea party applauded and cheered, Leekah came in towing a string of three young Sheikah women, slammed herself down next to Zelda.
"It was love at first sight! - Lawdon and I!" Gushed the woman, surrendering a tray of burnt egg tarts with a momentary look of disdain. But she went on happily, "And if you all think I'm gorgeous, take a look in the mirror! Surely, ya'll have boyfriends!"
The girls giggled.
Zelda attempted a Queenly nod and scoured her thoughts for their names, but they were so captivated by Leekah's story that they did not notice where they had sat. On borrowed time, Zelda rummaged through the mental list of names she had learned that night - Rola? Casi? Leela? Cado - of course not Cado. That was the guard who loved chickens.
"You in, Princess?" Came Leekah, interrupting her own story, pulling a deck of cards from her bodice.
Caught off guard, Zelda found herself stammering, "I-In what?" Had she been standing in something? She checked her feet.
"In the game, of course!" She exclaimed, shuffling the cards. "These fine young ladies claim they know how to play, but damn!" She slammed the deck on the table, "Ladies, trust me, you don't know how to play unless you've seen this Princess shoot the moon!"
The ladies burned bright red, suddenly seeing their tablemate. Zelda pardoned them with a queenly smile - one she had learned from her mother oh so long ago. "I must decline for tonight, unfortunately, but please allow me the pleasure of watching."
She felt too stiff for games, honestly - as if her Yakata had a corset. Yet, she allowed herself a moment to tune out and greet her feelings with a sip of her tea - dizzy, dehydrated, and tightly wound for the sake of propelling the Queenly facade. And by that power alone, she suppressed the summertime snowstorm where doubts flurried with flattery. Peppering her disposition was merciful relief. Knee deep, she waded in her wild gratefulness for the whole world of helpers - dozens of kind people she had met in just one short week. Much undeserved, thought she, choking on her own incredulousness. And while the scene bustled on without her, she felt safe with her rehearsed smile - and a dignified chuckle whenever Leekah dealt a sly hand.
"So, that's when Lawdon proposed!" Gushed Leekah, slamming down a card. Zelda lauded her - a Queen of Hearts on top of a pile of spades. Box glared from across the table, taking the tainted collection. Uncaring, the mother touseled her daughter's hair. Pris took residence in the next-door seat, confidently drawing a pony on a dainty white doily with the waxy colors her parents had bought that night at the market. But, when the Princess peered over, the little girl began to tremble and warily covered her drawing with her tiny hands. Before Zelda could apologize and return the girl's privacy, the child crinkled up her sketch, stole the doily beneath her mother's tea, and started again.
Her brother hung close by, flashing his cards. "I thought the pile was mine!" Linus whined.
"You don't want this pile, kid." Droned Box, plucking out the heart.
"Leekah, did you say it took a week? For your husband to purpose?" Sighed the Sheikah girl - Claree, her name! Zelda patted herself on the back and remembered her friends' names: Priya and Lasli.
"I'm just saying," Leekah flashed a toothy smile, "When a man's got the guts, he's got the guts! You've got a man waiting? Psh! Don't put up with that!"
Suddenly Lawdon appeared above Box. "Hey, you!" He stumbled in and clumsily sat himself down in the seat beside the large man. "Are you," he burped, "Telling people I proposed after a week?"
Behind him, hoodlums giggled.
"It wasn't a week!" He protested.
"Daddy!" his daughter whined, furiously pointing to her sketch, "Mountains for my pony! Help!"
"Oh, look!" Lawdon shrieked - his voice cracking. He swept up her drawing and flashed it to the table, "My girl's drawing!"
But, it was blank - just a white doily.
Stupified, Zelda looked to his wife for answers, but she just crossed her arms and glowered, knowing a secret that Yalero, behind him, had betrayed. The man shook an empty liquor bottle and winced.
"C'mon now Lawdie!" Slid in Lick, drumming the man's shoulders, "We were all there!"
"Nah, nah, nah! I remember it like this." Lawdon, drunken and stammering, held his hands out.
But his wife interjected, throwing her spoon at Lick, "You know he's a lightweight!"
That man dodged, but before he could state his case, poor Lawdon's hand went right up, stilling the ruckus. And while the conversations around them died away, the man patiently waited to be called on.
Leekah waved him on, "Gods, honey, put your hand down."
"I just want to talk!" He huffed.
"Sorry about this, Princess - he's never like this."
Before Zelda could react, the man let out a long sigh, "Come on! No one ever lets me talk!"
His wife fumed, "Whatever you want to say, just say it quickly!"
"The night we met."
"Yep? What about it?"
"It was someone's birthday. Was it mine?"
"No Lawdie," laughed Lick, dragging in another seat, "It was mine."
"So it was Lick's birthday - I think that's why there was dancing."
"No one was dancing, Lawdie."
"Well, I was dancing?"
"Yeah - only you. But, then this lady here came to rescue you."
"And that's how we met. Good story, Lawdon." Shushed his wife, leading the trick. She tossed out a two of hearts.
"Ma! Should I take those?" Whined Linus.
"No, honey," Leekah hummed, airing a flat smile, "You're not supposed to take the hearts."
Pris held up her rugged, rudimentary mountain-scape, "Ma! Look!"
"Yep, those are mountains, sweetie."
Next whined her husband, "Leekah? Can you get me some water?"
She let out a long sigh while the table giggled.
"I can grab you some." Stood Zelda - she needed a break from the crowd anyway. Half the table stood up to stop her, exchanging their bows and pleasantries, but she managed to wave them off and retreat to the innkeeper's desk where cups were laying top down on a clean towel - some ceramic, some bamboo.
Thankfully all the bows, honorifics, and guards lent her the reminders she needed to keep up the frigid facade. But the warmth of the kettle's heat had her asking herself if there was another way to cope with this relief? She grabbed a cup, wondering if she really could she sit back and relax. Could she play cards without the roof falling through? Yiga invading? Villagers yelling? A Calamity coming? She watched the merriment and joy around her as if it was a glass vase on a precarious stand. But when the hot water flooded over the lip of the cup, she let out a mortal yelp and kissed her thumb in primal protection. Only then - momentarily maskless, nursing her burn in a nearby chair- did she realize how much she was protecting herself with the regal tone and plastered smiles.
But when the icon of her protection came through the door, she felt the Queenly disposition fall from her shoulders. She stood wordlessly.
"Link!" Someone yelled.
"Finally!" Said another while a flood of people stood to greet him.
Link faltered in the spotlight - looking between all the grinning men and women shaking his hand, raising their teacups. And by the time Zelda recomposed herself, Quince had already taken him by the shoulders and introduced him to his table. But, before the brute could sit him down, there came a loud clank! A falling chair - Leekah ditched her seat. Zooming by, she barreled into the crowd and baited the hot-flushed boy with her daughter. Holding Pris out, Leekah forced Link to take her - and once he did, he was immediately redirected to their table.
"Got'em!" The woman winked, passing by.
Meeting his eyes, Zelda froze again, unable to quell the unruly gratefulness quickening her heartbeat. Did he really say yes? Did he really want to travel with her? Did he really want to bear her burden? Lawdon's water utterly forgotten, she let herself fall prey to her flurrying thoughts. Regardless, Link must have noticed her staring because he managed a shy nod while Pris pulled at his short ponytail.
"Have you gotten a drink?" Zelda shouted vociferously! - as if he was a mile away from her. He looked stunned. Mortified, she criticized herself. Of course, he hasn't gotten a drink! He just came in!
"Um," she corrected, searching herself, "Let me get you one!"
She hurried away, weaving through the sweltering room of adoring bodies for the desk of teas - had it always been that hot in there? She plucked one of the cups from the innkeeper's desk and searched her options. Lemon, mint, cherry, pomegranate, and pumpkin spice teas lay in limp burlap bags with tea leaves scattered around them. Scanning, she cursed herself - she didn't ask what kind he had wanted! By the time she peered over, the boy had been absorbed into Leekah's table. Pris was shoving her drawing into his face. She rolled him three colored pencils.
Zelda scoured her brain for a memory, but none came to mind. Did she see him drink tea from the castle? Was there one he preferred? Goddesses, she wasn't sure - would he like lemon? What if he detested lemon and then had to drink it to be polite? - that'd be awful! 'Hello Link, thank you for accepting me now drink this awful tea.' Slow creeping anxiety blotted out every other solution and deduced her to the humiliation of bundling up all five bags and side-stepping her way back to Link.
With a loud thump, she set the bags down in front of him, purposefully avoiding the public's gaze. "I should have asked which you had wanted." She stammered.
And as she spoke, three other solutions came to mind - she could have come back to ask him what he wanted. She could have gotten him two cups to choose from. Did she really have to bring all five bags?
Thinly composed, she went on, "T-There is lemon, cherry, mint, and pomegranate. Oh, and this one here is pumpkin spice."
The boy looked up with a - quizzical expression? Was it shock? Flattery? Embarrassment? - no matter, Zelda couldn't blame him. She had embarrassed herself too. It left her stammering in the spotlight as she addressed the staring crowd around her table, "A-And perhaps I can refill everyone else's tea?"
Of course, Priya, Lasli, and Claree denied her - as did Leekah, who waved her off with a whimsical smile. But, sweet little Pris, not knowing royalty from a rock, raised her cup, which Zelda swiped to escape her own awkwardness and happily filled it back at the innkeeper's desk. Only when she came back did Link make his selection.
He pointed to the mint, "T-Thank you."
His choice enthralled the Princess - Link liked mint! His favorite animal was a horse, and he enjoyed mint tea. What else would she get to learn about him?
"O-Of course." She found herself bowing. But before she could take the bag from him, he stood up to help.
"No, no," she scrambled up the teas, "Let me."
"And lassy?" She heard. Lawdon was raising his hand again.
"Oh!" She jumped, the horror of forgetfulness sinking into her, "Lawdon! My goodness, your water!"
She scrambled up the bags, rushed through the crowd for the fourth time, collected Lawdon's water (which had thankfully cooled), and began Link's tea by shaking the leaves into the strainer. And while sparing her singed thumb, she poured in the hot water from the kettle - thankfully, she knew how to make a cup of tea, though the steam only made her cheeks hotter. At least its steeping time gave her a moment to breathe and recollect herself, though people kept dipping in and out to say hello, ask questions, and help. She waved them off with her best attempts of whit and charm, but it came out all anxious and shrill - the facade dropped and left at the feet of the Hero. Recovering it might mean calling it quits, turning in early, and locking herself up for the night. But first, she needed to finish what horrible task she had started. Though it pained her, she delivered the water, which Lawdon shot back like an animal. And while skirting the table with Link's mint tea, she rehearsed her goodbye. But something suddenly stopped her.
Link.
He was drawing.
"Purple mountains!" Wiggled Pris beside him, dipping her purple pencil into his sketch and coloring.
Link turned around - perhaps feeling Zelda there. Sudden shyness came over him. His shoulders hunched, he covered up his sketch with his wrist, and without skipping a beat, he gestured to the tea and nodded his thanks.
But the sleight of hand couldn't deter the Princess.
"You are drawing." She stammered.
Before he could answer, Pris climbed in, pointing to the mountain-scape he had beautifully sketched on a silly doily, "I'm making them purple!"
"Dueling Peaks." Zelda breathed - it was an exact replica, a carbon copy from her memories - two sharp mountains piercing the blue Hyrulean sky. "You even have the foothills and the river."
He nodded, buckling his mouth.
Zelda wanted him to say more about it, but perhaps that was against his nature. So she prodded him, hoping it came off gently, "Is that what it looks like?" She asked, "Even to this day?"
Again he nodded.
Captivated, she sat down next to him, setting his tea far away from the precious drawing.
"The river is that wide now?"
He nodded, "V-Very wide."
"Can you draw horses?" Prodded the little girl.
Nervously, Link stared back down to his drawing and scanned for a place to put said horses. And suddenly, he began to sketch.
What began as rudimentary stokes of the wax colors evolved into an immaculate herd of wild horses, running across the scene - fat circles shaped in dainty legs, bellies, and long noses. He sketched their ears, necks, and hooves; made their mains fly and tails swish in a creative fashion that reaped another surprise. How long had he been able to draw?
Zelda sat in the seat beside him, bewildered - purely herself - maskless as the girl who loved being beside Link, wanting to know more and more about him. The regalness discarded, she cupped her mouth and signed, "Link - how can this be?"
He cocked his head, looking too nervous to turn away from his sketch. "...I started drawing plants," he stuttered. He wouldn't look away from the utensil he rubbed between his fingers, but after a long pause, he went on, "I... needed to track poisonous ones."
"Is that right?"
He nodded curtly - his expression read something anxious and pensive. And with a sweaty hand, he set down the color - as if his threshold for attention had already welled up.
"I'm sorry, Link," Zelda pushed, "I-I'm not done seeing this talent of yours." She retrieved the color from the table and held it out for him to take.
The man blushed, but every so gently took back the utensil.
"So a soldier who has never ever drawn in his life comes out an artist on the other side?"
"... I, well," He looked up with those pensive blue eyes, "I figured I had drawn before."
Zelda collected herself, "Not to my knowledge - and I knew everything!"
"Everything?" He said - almost hopefully.
"Well, we did spend a lot of time together." Zelda thought to herself - did she ever see him sketching? Drawing maps and landmarks so accurately? Tracing shapes in the sand during their idle moments? No - nothing rang a bell. No memory gripped her. She returned her gaze to find him staring. Perhaps she should share more - after all, they had had such little time to talk about the past. "I don't remember anything about artistry, but you were an excellent fighter like your father and your grandfather before you." She started, not breaking from his gaze. And in the low-flickering candles, they studied each other.
"Can I have the drawing now?" Interrupted Pris, wiggling between them - Link obliged. Quickly, he folded up the doily and gave it to the little girl who then ran the drawing over to her parents at the other side of the table. And their company resounded in astonishment - flashing their thumbs and applauding the shy boy - a pensive silence set between the pair. He was staring at his hands, brewing up something to talk about.
"... So, poisonous flowers?" Zelda helped.
He nodded. "And uh... helpful ones too."
"Like the Silent Princess?"
He flashed a quick smile, "... Like the Silent Princess."
"And then what? You draw a perfect Princess and think, 'Goddesses, I must have been the castle artist instead?'"
Another smile - flashed. Zelda felt lucky, seeing the corners of his lips turn. A shy boy beaming. Confidence flaring, she went on with her joke, "If I had to choose between the Calamity-Slaying Hero or Patron of the Arts, then I'd want to be the latter."
He shook his head, smiling.
"Well, then what? What did you think?"
"Hm?"
"Your skill! - that's what we're talking about, aren't we?
"...I didn't think much of it."
"That's all?"
He bit back another smile, "That's all."
"So you just... started drawing like a prodigy? No practice along the way?"
"I didn't have much time." "
"No time for art?" Zelda hummed. "During the battle of Hyrule? - Impossible." She chuckled at herself, but never did she expect the Hero to meet her gaze - suddenly, he was staring - blushing! - before tapering off in a series of blinks.
Zelda stared, feeling consoled. "May I see another?" .
He heaved in a heavy breath.
"Unless I am embarrassing you again. I - well, I've done that enough today, haven't I?"
Another smile broke - he shook his head confidently.
"You can take it?"
"...I can, Your Highness."
Tickled, Zelda thought to concede, throw in the towel, and thank the boy for blessing her night. But before she could start, he spoke, "W-What would you like me to draw?"
Her heart swelled, "Can you do portraits?"
"No." He huffed, a small laugh escaping.
"Only poisonous plants?" She teased.
He nodded, looking somewhat relieved until she handed him another doily.
"A bamboo cup, perhaps?" Said she, gesturing to his hot mint tea in front of them.
He nodded, awkwardly stealing a sip before sketching away.
Zelda watched his hands for a while - within two comfortable minutes, there was a purple frame of a cup. His style was rather swishy - the steam of the cup resembling the tails of his horses. When he started a shade, a question dawned on her. Zelda looked up from his drawing, "Why not use the compendium, Link?"
Link froze as if she had uttered a foreign language.
"The compendium?" she repeated, "On the sheikah slate?"
He withdrew his pencil, "C-Compendium?"
"Yes, the device that matches pictures of flora and fauna with a description. Like a dictionary or glossary."
Suddenly he looked nervous.
"Y-You found that feature?" She hesitated, trying to find his gaze, "C-Correct?"
He buckled his mouth.
"Link, tell me you knew about the compendium."
He held his silence.
"Are you implying that you got this far without the compendium?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, "I-I'm not great with technology."
She marveled, eying every bit of his expression before breaking out into a laugh. She cupped her mouth, "Not great with technology? Explain!"
He broke from his drawing, "R-Remote bombs in general, the timing on stasis, and the controls on magnesis - "
"And were those hard for you?"
"You didn't see?"
"See what?"
"Bombs... exploding in my face."
"Truthfully? Sincerely?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking relieved.
"Were you injured?"
"Maybe a few times."
"Oh, Link!"
"I-I'm fine now."
Zelda winced, "I know we have a lot of plans to make, but I can show you some of the features when we fix the slate."
He looked around at their company - all off in their own conversations while a card game entertained them. Box played the dreaded Queen of Spades and sent it off with Leekah. The table whooped and hollered, shaming the boastful mother as she plucked the ugly card from the pile.
Returning his gaze, Link sat up straight and cleared his throat, "I-Is now a good time to make those plans?"
"Perhaps it is." She sighed. But, while studying herself, she fell prey to the sudden urge to soak in the twinkling wonderland, filled to the brim with happy guests. Elation fell over her as if she had seen it for the first time. She nodded herself on, "But, I think it wise just to rest tonight." She let out her breath, "And enjoy a night as lovely as this one."
Link nodded, looking cooly composed until Zelda handed him another doily.
"Just one more." She promised. "Then I shall leave you alone."
Another smile breaking, he nodded her on and began to sketch the plate of burnt egg tarts she had fashioned before him.
A/N: Hey guys - I appreciate you all so much for commenting. Do you all have any art requests? Feel free to comment and I'll make a sketch for the story's tumblr.
zViridian: Yeah, I feel you about Impa - I have a hard time with people like her in my life, but I figured her overprotectiveness for Zelda would reduce her to pettiness. My mom is a big A-type personality, getting things done, making lists, butting into your stuff, but she will kill anyone who tries to cause us trouble. I imagine Impa being the same way.
Jynx: Thanks for your review! Sometimes the anxious, worried mothers can be the most complex, beautiful characters. Would I want Zelda taken away from me? Absolutely not. Would I manipulate her into staying? - gah, I hope not.
SithChop: So glad you're reading! The budding romance is what's keeping me going (I just want to show my notes, but they are at least five to ten chapters away. It's a crawling pace with these monthly updates, but I can't wait to get there too! Thanks for being here for it.
Guest: Hey thank you! I reread it with your encouragement in mind. I needed that - thanks again!
Flydaze: You wish is my command! - thank you for your review, it got me through the final stretch. Enjoy the next chapter!
CaptainChel: Go to bed :P