Hey everyone! I apologize about the long delay. Life has been completely HECTIC recently, to say the absolute least. I just started my first year of college back in late August, and since then, my life has been on the constant go. Believe me when I say I've had barely any spare time to finish writing this chapter.

This was also an exceptionally long chapter, which was another reason why it took me a while to update. This chapter is almost 11,000 words, which is probably the longest chapter I've ever written since I even began writing on this site. This section might be a bit wordy (and also a little bit boring), but again, I promise, it's for the build up of the plot.

As for the people who have been waiting for Link and Zelda to FINALLY start interacting again...you'll just have to start reading to see!

Okay, done talking. Please enjoy this chapter, make sure to review, and have a wonderful day.


BEHIND THE BOOKSHELF

Calling of Purpose

Fourteen days had passed since Link had awoken. Eighteen days had passed since Maurice's body was found.

Link's days in the infirmary were possibly the most dull days he had ever spent in the castle. Hours and hours he spent lying in his cot, just waiting for final day of his recovery to come. He passed a bit of time by attempting to make conversation with the other injured soldiers nearby, which did make his wait a bit more bearable. That was until they began to recall the events of their said "womanly adventures," stories that Link had absolutely no desire nor the interest to listen to.

After being released, he headed to his establishment, where he was advised to stay for an extra five days by Martha before starting any physical activity again. However, within a few hours of his return, Link's boredom got the best of him, causing him to take out his sword and practice some techniques by himself.

Currently, Link was still outside training alone, as he had been since the sun rose. A light flurry of snow fell all around him, his thick lashes occasionally catching a few snowflakes that fluttered near his face. It was a cold, bitter day of winter, one that had even the strongest of men shivering to their very own core.

However, the cold did nothing to stop Link. He would rather freeze than sit inside his establishment, because sitting inside meant that he was accomplishing absolutely nothing. He had such a large amount of free time on his hands, and he was going to use it in the wisest way, no matter if he wasn't allowed to or if it was dangerous.

Link gripped the hilt of his sword and gave a graceful swing, one that he had been practicing to perfection for about an hour. His sword struck the dummy in front of him, creating a noticeably large tear in the side of it. Unfortunately, at this point, the dummy had practically been torn to shreds from his long hours of training, so barely anything was left of it.

Pulling out his sword from the damaged dummy, Link heaved out a heavy sigh and wiped some beads of sweat collected on his forehead. His hands were stiff and numb from the cold, almost holding a bluish tint to them. He knew that he needed to go inside before he got frostbite.

Finally forcing himself to make the decision to go inside, he began to gather his training items that were buried a few inches into the snow. His fingerless gloves unfortunately gave him little protection, so as he scooped his items up, the bare tips of his fingers became covered with snow.

Goddesses, he absolutely hated the winter. That was one opinion of his that hadn't changed since he left Ordon.

Suddenly, as he scooped up his sword, he heard heavy footsteps crunch atop the fresh snow. Link's ears perked and he turned to see a tall man walking towards him, with a neat stack of clothes folded in the crook of his arm.

Link squinted curiously as the man made his way towards him. He was likely a castle resident, Link figured, especially by studying his expensive choice of attire. Castle residents were never seen around the barracks, especially not near a trainee barrack. Was he looking for someone else, perhaps? Maybe a high-ranking militia official?

Then, it clicked in Link's mind abruptly as his eyes once again settled on the stack of clothes in the man's hand. His meeting with the king and the princess. That was today.

A flood of nerves washed over Link's body as the man finally stopped a few feet in front of him. The man seemed to be in his fifties, with faint wrinkles lining his eyes, and gray hairs sprinkled through his thick beard. He was completely bald, and wore a pair of round spectacles, giving Link the impression that the man was some sort of scholar. No regular lord or nobleman wore glasses such as his.

"Greetings, Link," the man said in a proper accent. "I am Lord Clevear, at your service. I have been sent to assist you to get ready to dine with His Majesty and Her Royal Highness."

Link cocked an eyebrow curiously at the tall lord standing in front of him. Was this man…a royal stylist instead of a scholar?

"You…remembered that you were supposed to meet with them once you recovered, I hope?" Lord Clevear asked when Link didn't respond. "Or did I come to the wrong person—"

"No, no, I'm the guy you're looking for." Link scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Are you…escorting me there? It seems a bit early for dinner."

Lord Clevear snorted. "Ah, nonsense! Preparation to dine with the princess and his Majesty takes a bit of time." Clevear eyed Link with clear distaste. "Especially with your choice of attire, we will have much work to do…."

Link's face quickly turned cherry red as he processed the backhanded comment. Were his clothes really that repulsive? All he wore was a simple gray tunic and a pair of trousers.

"Well!" Lord Clevear chirped after a few moments of silence. "Let us head back to the castle, yes? I will give you some proper clothes and then I will teach you proper etiquette. I'm sure people of your…background need a lesson on how to greet royalty."

Wonderful. Another backhanded comment. If Link thought his face couldn't get any redder, boy was he wrong. This man was already insufferable, and they had barely been conversing for more than a minute.

Link would just have to push through the rest of the day. He didn't have many high expectations for it, and in fact, he wasn't particularly excited to meet the king. It made him feel awkward, out of place, much like this lord was doing to him right now as they spoke. Link was sure that he wouldn't enjoy anything.

The only thing Link was slightly looking forward to was meeting the princess. Although she was a bit intimidating, she at least didn't talk down to him like most of the lords and ladies of the castle did. Holding a conversation with her actually wasn't too horrible.

"Yes…let us get going," Link replied quietly. "Thank you."

Lord Clevear nodded and began to walk away. Link quickly followed behind, but made sure not to stray too close. He had no desire to converse with the lord.

This was going to be a long night. Link could feel it.


There was no denying it at this point. Zelda's father was sick.

Zelda stood at her mirror alone, running a brush gently through her dark locks. She had sent Evelyn and her ladies in waiting away, once again, making the decision to get ready on her own. She had absolutely no desire to speak with anyone, not even her own personal maiden.

Frequently, during her own hardships, Zelda tended to isolate herself even more than she already was. She shut people out, even the very few friends she had, just to be left alone. She had been doing it since Maurice's death, and since the discovery of her father's illness, it had been even worse.

Her father hid his own illness well from the castle. He went on with his day-by-day routine, meeting with the Council, speaking with the common folk of Hyrule, and conversing within court. His doctors had repeatedly urged him to rest, but he blatantly ignored their warnings, claiming that there was nothing wrong with him.

After witnessing her father's violent coughing fit a little over a fortnight ago, Zelda had no choice but to report it to the doctor in the castle. Her father was now required to have a check up with the doctor every night, in secret, of course. Fortunately, so far, the doctor hadn't found anything that could be life-threatening. However, her father's condition was getting gradually worse, with the days he continued to push himself and refused to rest.

Zelda knew her father absolutely despised visiting the doctor, so his bitterness towards her had been much more intense than it usually was. She didn't understand why he was upset with her for reporting it to the doctor. Did he expect her to turn a blind eye to something that could be life-threatening? It was winter, so falling ill wasn't something to be ignored.

Especially considering how her mother passed, she couldn't help but worry. Did he not understand that at least?

Although her father wasn't showing any signs of a serious illness yet, Zelda couldn't help her worrying. The thought of her father dying brought an unimaginable amount of pain, along with a brutal weight of responsibilities that followed. She would be forced to take the throne, at the ripe age of nineteen, with minimal experience on any sort of diplomatic affairs. There would be no one to help her, no guiding figure. She would be truly on her own.

Zelda sighed and placed the brush back onto her dresser. She had a terrible feeling about her father's illness the day she discovered it. What hardships were to meet her in the days to come? Her future was now even more uncertain than ever, and though she didn't want to admit it to herself, it terrified her.

Pushing her worrisome thoughts away, Zelda picked back up her brush and ran it through her hair. She had been preparing herself to dine with Link, but she didn't feel much nerves about the meeting, considering she had done many similar dinners with other people before. However, what was different was that her father wouldn't be accompanying her to dine. His checkup with the doctor was around the same time of their meeting, so unfortunately, it would be just Zelda and the hero alone.

Zelda placed her brush down again and buried her face in her hands. The tension of this time was undeniably high, regarding her wedding, Maurice's death, and her father's now sudden illness. It seemed as if her life was plummeting into a mess, one that was so out of her control that she felt completely helpless. Even more helpless than when she was imprisoned during the Twilight Invasion.

Zelda released her head from her hands and walked to the left side of her chambers. Backed against the wall sat a small chest, rusted and discolored from age. Zelda knelt down and gently opened it, feeling a sudden sense of relief as she studied the items placed inside.

The chest was a lockbox that her mother had given her when she was a young girl, around the mere age of five. The chest had been passed down throughout generations, used by Zelda's mother, grandmother, and so on. When her mother had fallen ill, she collected important items from Zelda's childhood and placed them in the lockbox. There were stacks and stacks of Zelda's old drawings, piles of her toys, and many other keepsakes from her early years.

Zelda heaved out a heavy sigh and began rummaging throughout the chest. It reminded her of a hopeful time in her life, one that was filled with laughter and freedom. Her mother's death had unfortunately changed all of that, completely flipping her life upside down. Her father became cold, the loneliness became more present, and the weight of her diplomatic responsibilities finally began to descend on her as she grew older. She had to endure the hardships of life on her own, without the loving and reassuring presence of a mother.

As Zelda continued to rummage through her lockbox, she suddenly spotted a familiar piece of parchment under all of the other items. Her heart immediately sank as she noticed it, and she hesitantly fished the piece of paper out of the pile and unfolded it.

To my beautiful little girl,

Not a day goes by where I am not proud of you. I love you so much, and I love the girl you are growing up to be. Never stop being who you are. Don't let the hardships of life take away your character, and keep on fighting to be who you are, no matter who judges you. There are people who will try to shun your light, but do not let them in. You are a strongest little girl I know.

I know it's difficult to understand, but I must go away. My time has come for me to pass on, but I don't want you to think that I will be gone forever. I am always with you, in your heart, within your memories, and everywhere you go. You will never be alone. I am always here to talk, even if you cannot see me anymore.

I will always love you, my sweet girl. Never forget that. I know it's hard to believe right now, but the goddesses always have a way with how things play out. They want nothing but the best for you. Fill your heart with love instead of resentment and hatred. Don't let this shun your light. I know you are strong enough to stay bright.

I love you forever and always, Zellie.

Your mother,

Zelda Claire Nohansen III

Zelda heaved out a long sigh and pressed the letter close to her heart. She often reread her mother's final words to her for encouragement, and only the goddesses knew how much she needed it now, considering everything that had happened in the past few weeks. In a way, it was the only thing in the entire world that helped her push forward.

"I love you, mother," Zelda whispered into the piece of paper. "Please give me guidance throughout these times."

Zelda pressed a kiss to the letter and shakily placed it back into her lockbox. However, as she put it back, she noticed another piece of paper sticking out from underneath all of the items.

Zelda's brows furrowed as she studied the unfamiliar piece of paper tucked away in the chest. It must have been relatively new, she figured, because the paper wasn't yellowed like her mother's letter was.

But why would there be something new in her lockbox? Not one singular item was placed inside since her mother passed, and Zelda made sure of that. The lockbox was sacred to her, and she wanted to keep it untouched from anything outside of her childhood.

Zelda's curiosity soon got the better of her, and she quickly snatched the paper from underneath the pile of items on top of it. Carefully, she unfolded the paper and began to read the assortment of words scribbled hastily across the top.

I must be sure the one who has found this letter is who I intended to give it to. Go to the east, where a trusted friend whom holds secrets is at peace. By passing along private words, he is the man who will be the only one who has heard. There you will find the answers you are so desperately searching for, if you are someone that I have trusted before.

Zelda studied the letter with wide, confused eyes. This was something she definitely hadn't seen before.

"What on earth?" Zelda asked aloud, squinting harshly at the words sprawled across the parchment in black ink. Did someone put this here on mistake? Maybe it was one of her ladies in waiting playing tricks on her. They were all very childish, admittedly, so it wouldn't surprise her if this letter was from them.

However, not even her ladies in waiting could make up something like this. The letter quite frankly made no sense, almost being written in some sort of mysterious riddle.

There you will find the answers you are so desperately searching for. What could that possibly mean?

Zelda stared astonishingly at the letter for a few more seconds, until something suddenly clicked in her mind. She couldn't even deny that the strange, messy handwriting was painstakingly…familiar.

Zelda immediately leapt to her feet and ran over to her desk on the other side of her chambers. Frantically, she pulled out one of the drawers, which was full of the letters that people sent to her over the years. She suddenly felt glad that she kept all of them.

Rummaging hastily through the stack of letters, she searched and searched through the pile until she found a certain one that she was looking for. Her heart rate immediately began to pick up, and she hesitantly plucked the letter out from the large stack.

Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the letter and studied the words scribbled across the top in that same, sloppy handwriting that was sprawled across the mystery letter.

Zelda,

I hope you are well. If you'd like, you can always take a trip to Alburnia. I know your father doesn't wish it, and I know that Aiden definitely doesn't wish it, but we are good friends. It would be nice to see you more frequently. I miss you.

I know you'd likely prefer to come to Alburnia. Your father has you all cooped up in that castle! Just try your best to convince them, and if you can't do it, I'll just simply come to see you myself. We don't even have to stay in the castle. We can go out to Castle Town for the day, or possibly travel somewhere else interesting but close by. Just so you're not so cooped up and bored.

Anyway, when you figure it out, write back to me. I know I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

With love,

Maurice

Zelda's eyes flicked back and fourth between the two letters frantically. The handwriting on each of the letters were the exact same. Absolutely nothing was different about it.

It had to be Maurice that wrote her the strange letter. There was no doubt in her mind about it.


"You look splendid! I've done a rather fine job!"

Link looked at his appearance through the mirror in absolute disgust. His once casual fit of attire was gone, replaced with a repulsive, bright red pair of breeches, along with an equally horrendous striped doublet, with sleeves that were puffed out just above the elbow. It was so bad, so ugly that Link couldn't even fathom that he was wearing something like this. He was sure if Barnes saw him in this, he would hear no end.

"So…" Lord Clevear drawled out. "Is it to your liking, Link?"

Link flinched slightly at the question. "Er…it's not really something I'd wear, per se…"

"Ah, that is because you have been deprived of such fashionable and exquisite craftsmanship of fine fabrics! When I first saw you, I thought I would never be able to present you in such a proper manner…but nay! I have prevailed once again!"

Lord Clevear puffed out his chest with pride. Link, on the other hand, had his chest puffed out because of his struggle to contain a snort.

"Yeah…nice," Link muttered. "Thanks."

"Oh, but of course. Now, let me just add some final touches."

Final touches? Goddesses, Link was beginning to believe that this torture would never end. He had already heard enough of Clevear's snide comments on Link's "improper etiquette," but the fashion touch up was so much worse. Clevear had Link try on at least ten outfits, ones that weren't so easy to get on the first place.

Lord Clevear suddenly whipped out a pair of scissors, from goddesses knows where, and grabbed a container of hair gel from a small table nearby. One look at the pair of scissors out of the corner of Link's eye had him flying to his feet and recoiling in fear. He could withstand a bit of a fashion change, but he would never let anybody change up his hairstyle.

"Um…" Link mumbled cautiously. "With all due respect, sir, I don't really want—"

"That is Lord Clevear to you!" Clevear suddenly bellowed. "Have you forgotten what I've told you? Always address people with their chosen title!"

Link blinked twice. "Yeah…er…sorry, Lord Clevear. I just…I don't need any touch ups to my hair."

Lord Clevear eyed Link's head of hair with clear disgust. "I understand that someone of your…origins wouldn't be able to see why you would need a touch up. However, someone who has much experience in style and has much better fashion sense would be able to see…to see that your hair resembles a mop!"

Link had to bite his cheek from letting out a snort of disbelief. He quite frankly had enough of the lord's snobbish insults. There was no possible way he could spend another second with this man, because there was a very high chance Link was soon to snap at him with an equally insulting comment of his own. He didn't want to start problems with possibly the only lord he had encountered within the past eight months.

"That's…very kind of you, thank you," Link hissed sarcastically through his gritted teeth.

Lord Clevear simply scoffed in response. "No need for a snippy reply. I am simply giving constructive criticism."

"Great. You're still not touching my hair." Link sat back down in his seat stubbornly. "Can I leave?"

Lord Clevear put a finger to his chin as he pondered Link's request. "Hmm…you may. But before you do, I must do one last thing."

Placing the hair gel and scissors down on the table, Lord Clevear reached in his pocket and fished out a small glass container of purple liquid. As soon as it was pulled out in the open, Link could already smell the overbearing stench of the liquid with his wolf senses. His strong sense of smell still resonated within him from his wolf form, even after he was transformed back into a human.

"You will need some fragrance to eliminate your natural…stench." Lord Clevear sprayed, or rather, drenched Link in the suffocating odor. Strangely enough, the cologne for some reason resembled the smell of…plums?

Link immediately hacked out a few coughs as soon as the cologne was let into the air. How anybody could bear wearing such an odor on a daily basis was mind baffling.

"T—Thanks, Lord…Lord Clevear," Link choked out through the midst of his coughing fit. "Smells…delightful."

"Delightful indeed!" Clevear bellowed pridefully, clearly oblivious to Link practically choking on the stench. "It is one of the finest and most expensive fragrances created in Hyrule. You should consider yourself fortunate to have been able to experience such a rare scent."

Link let out another cough. "It's rare, alright!"

"Yes, very," Lord Clevear replied, unaware of Link's clear sarcasm. "Now, we should be going. You have ten minutes to meet His Majesty and the Her Highness. I will escort you there."

Desperate to get out of the dressing room that was practically engulfed with a suffocating stench of plums, Link burst through the door and finally sucked in a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, he could still smell the horrid plum scent on his body, but it was much more faint and didn't choke him as it did when he was in the dressing room.

"Follow me, Link," Lord Clevear said as he began to make way through the empty castle hallway. "It will only be a moment."

Link let out a quiet sigh before following the pompous stylist. Admittedly, Link was more nervous than he had ever been in a long time. Meeting the king and the princess at the same exact time was no easy feat, especially considering the fact that he had barely spoken to either of them. He had one singular thirty second conversation with the king directly after he received his medal from the war, and maybe had about four total conversations with the princess, including his admittedly awkward encounter with her when he was supposed to be on guard duty.

What made his nerves even worse was that he had not one clue what this meeting was even about. Why him, an average trainee in the militia, was picked to dine with the princess and the king? Yes, he was the hero and all, but barely even half of the castle recognized him as such, and he doubted the king even cared. Maybe Zelda was a different story, but he knew for a fact the king saw him how everybody else did: the lowly farm boy from the poor village of Ordon.

"You remember how to bow properly, yes?" Lord Clevear's grating voice echoed, interrupting Link's train of thought.

Link heaved out another sigh. "Left hand behind my back, right fist pressed over my heart. I remember."

"And their proper titles…?"

"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. I think I remember everything."

"Ah, do not be so cocky, Link. I have only taught you the basics. The rest shall be learned on your own."

On his own? Splendid. This pompous lord was doing absolutely nothing to calm his nerves.

After another five minutes of weaving through unfamiliar hallways, and listening to Clevear's endless questioning about Link's knowledge of etiquette, they finally arrived to the private royal dining room. It was on the top level of the castle, so Link was forced to endure walking up a seemingly endless spiral staircase all the way to the top.

The doors to the dining room were fancy, and shockingly enormous, standing at about ten feet tall. Link doubted if one person alone could push open both of those doors.

"Ah, we have finally arrived!" Lord Clevear bellowed. He turned towards Link. "I will give you a proper introduction to the king and his daughter. Wait out here until you are introduced, and make sure to bow."

Link nodded, his heart suddenly pounding straight out of his chest. "W—Will do, Lord Clevear."

Lord Clevear gave Link a firm nod, and astonishingly pushed open the two enormous doors, seemingly with ease. Link watched nervously from afar as Clevear stepped elegantly into the dining room.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. I would like to gladly introduce—oh, am I early? Where is the king?"

Link cocked an eyebrow. Was this how introductions were supposed to go? He quickly came to the conclusion that they probably were not.

Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Link leaned over slightly to get a quick peek inside. The room was enormous, and a long, smooth wooden table was placed right in the centre. There were two chairs placed at either end of the table, but only one chair was occupied by one person—the princess herself.

Link's heart began to beat even faster, but not just because of nerves. The princess wore a long blue dress, with puffy sleeves that dropped below her shoulders and exposed her pale, delicate skin. The dress was a bit more low cut than usual, showing off her her high collarbones and neck, but it wasn't too low to ruin her modesty. Her dark hair was let down freely, which was a look Link wasn't expecting. Almost always was her hair pulled up into a braid or a bun.

"My apologies, Lord Clevear," the princess's bell-like voice rang through the empty room. "It slipped my mind to remind you. My father just has some…important work to attend."

Lord Clevear smiled gently. "Oh, do not worry, Your Highness. You are forgiven." Clevear's gentle smile quickly faded as he turned back towards Link, who was still peeking secretively into the room like a child. "Link, you may step in."

Link ignored the sudden instinct to bolt away and stepped nervously into the dining room. His heart felt as if it was soon to leap out of his chest as the princess laid her dark, unreadable gaze on his face. However, after she studied his appearance for a few seconds, her mouth unexpectedly twitched in an amused smirk that was almost completely unnoticeable.

Was something funny? Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him and he was looking too much into her expressions, once again. Besides, he couldn't possibly think of anything out of the ordinary except for…

His outfit. Goddesses, that was exactly it. She was amused at his outfit.

"Y—Your Royal Highness," Link sputtered out nervously, ignoring the heat rising to his cheeks. "It is a pleasure."

Link gave an awkward bow, making sure to do it the exact way Lord Clevear told him to. Goddesses. He probably looked like a sheer idiot, especially in his horrific choice of attire, which didn't suit him at all, no matter how much Clevear pressed that it was "the most fashionable trend for young men like himself."

"Sir Link," Zelda greeted, her smirk disappearing in a flash. "It is a pleasure as well."

Lord Clevear suddenly let out an obnoxious gasp, causing Link to jump startlingly. "Your Highness," he sputtered, "with all due respect, he does not go by the title sir—"

"Not to be rude, Lord Clevear, but he has actually earned the title," Zelda interrupted calmly. "His heroic deeds make him worthy of it."

Link went completely speechless, staring astonishingly at the collected princess sitting before him.

"O—Oh…my apologies, princess," Lord Clevear said quietly after a few moments of silence. "I will…I will leave you two alone, then." The snobbish lord quickly flicked his gaze to Link, and for a split second, he seemed a bit apologetic. "Farewell, Your Highness. Farewell, Sir Link."

The stylist bowed politely to the each of them, and quickly scurried out of the dining room. Link watched him go in shock, completely astounded that the pompous ass actually referred to him with that title.

Maybe the snooty stylist wasn't so bad after all.

"Sir Link," Zelda's gentle voice called, snapping Link out of his stupor. "Come, sit. The food will be out shortly."

Link blinked twice at the princess's request, and it took him about five seconds to actually register what she was talking about. He made haste as he walked over to his seat across from her, which unfortunately was an uncomfortable distance from where she sat. He would have to shout to even speak a word to her with how long the table was.

"Oh, Sir Link, you don't need to sit there." Princess Zelda let out a soft laugh. "Sit near me. It would be incredibly uncomfortable to try and converse with one another across such an enormous table."

Once again, it took Link a few moments to register what she was even talking about. After he finally processed her request, he picked up the chair and awkwardly shuffled over, making sure to put his seat in a modest distance from her as he placed it down.

Link swallowed thickly and sat down in his chair, ignoring the rhythmic thumps of his heartbeat. He was dining with the princess. The princess that he had saved from Ganondorf's wrath. The princess that he had barely spoken to in the past year.

The princess that shared the same story as his, no matter how different they were.

"Lord Clevear certainly did his work with you," Zelda suddenly quipped, breaking the awkward silence between the two.

Link snapped up his head so quickly at the comment that he thought he could've gotten whiplash. Did he hear that right? The playful smirk that tugged on the corner of her full lips made him believe that he did, in fact, hear that right.

"I…I…well, I mean, it's not that…bad." Link glanced down at his obnoxiously bright colored breeches. "…Er, yeah, it's pretty bad."

Zelda's lips twitched upwards, much similar to how they previously did when Link first entered the room. Suddenly, after a few moments of silence, the cool, collected princess abruptly burst into an uncharacteristic fit of laughter, causing her to have no choice but to stifle it with a gloved hand. Link's own lips quirked up amusedly, and soon enough, he began to laugh with her as well.

"Oh, goddesses," Zelda sighed as she calmed down from her small laughing fit. "My apologies for my lack of manners, Sir Link, but those clothes really do not suit such a man as you. Or anybody, for that matter."

Link chuckled and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I…uh…yeah. Not my first choice of attire."

"It wouldn't be mine, either." Zelda let out another laugh, but this time, it was much softer.

Before Link could give any sort of reply, the two enormous doors to the dining room swung open, revealing a tall young man pushing a metal cart. On the cart were two small dishes both covered by a silver cloche, and a fancy bottle of wine with two glasses.

"Ah!" Zelda marveled as the servant wheeled the dishes to their table. "Thank you, Francis."

"Of course, My Lady." Francis placed the two plates in front of them both, and then proceeded to quickly pour two tall glasses of red wine. Then, he gave the princess a quick bow and scurried out of the private dining room.

Link's eyes almost popped out of his head as he studied the amount of wine poured into his glass, because by goddesses, it was a lot of alcohol. He wasn't much of a drinker himself, only ever having a few glasses of cheap ale from a local bar in his hometown with Rusl, which unfortunately led him to discover that he was a terrible lightweight. He remembered how much Rusl teased him the next day on how red the tips of his ears were the entire night.

"Do you drink often, Sir Link?" rang Zelda's bell-like voice, snapping him straight out of his thoughts once again.

Link blinked twice at the question and shook his head. "Er…not really?" he squeaked, the last syllable of his words coming out an octave higher than he originally predicted.

Zelda smiled knowingly at him, and he suddenly felt as if she could see straight into his mind. "I figured as such. Do not feel forced to drink the wine. It is an acquired taste, after all."

Link nodded awkwardly. Not really knowing what else to do, he decided to take off the cloche covering his dish, revealing a small bowl filled with…a strange green liquid?

What even was it?

"It's pea soup," Zelda informed him gently, practically reading his mind. "The looks of it aren't very appetizing, but I assure you, it's delicious. Not very filling though, I'm afraid."

Zelda took the cloche off her own plate and began to dig in, with proper manners, of course. She ate delicately, slowly, as if she had been trained her entire life on such a thing. She made eating look daresay graceful.

Link, on the other hand, was too afraid to even touch the strange soup. He wouldn't consider himself much of a picky eater, as Uli would often refer to his stomach as an "endless pit," but the pea soup looked so unappetizing that he didn't even want to get near it. All it looked like was a thick pile of green goo, with a few peas sprinkled here and there.

Link eyed the princess sitting next to him, who gracefully eating her soup without any outward sign of disgust. He couldn't just not eat the soup, especially in front of someone like her. Even someone like himself knew that was incredibly rude.

So, with hesitation, he finally got a spoonful of the strange soup and placed it in his mouth. The texture of the soup was a bit odd, sure, but it tasted absolutely…

Spectacular?

"By goddesses, that is delicious," Link muttered without thinking.

Zelda looked up from her plate with a slight look of surprise on her face. "Is it to your liking?"

Link's face immediately heated at the realization that she had heard him talking to himself. "Y—Yes. Surprisingly." He let out an awkward chuckle. "With all due respect, Your Highness, I was a bit hesitant to eat it. It was similar…sort of…to a strange glob of green goo."

At the realization of what he had just said, Link immediately face-palmed. "I—I am so sorry, Your Highness," he sputtered. "That was rude—"

"It's quite alright, Sir Link," Zelda interrupted. He couldn't help but notice that the corners of her lips were twitching again, as if she was trying to hold in another laugh. "I don't believe anybody thinks it looks appetizing. I certainly do not."

Link set out a quiet chuckle, and the two soon fell into another silence, which thankfully wasn't as awkward as his previous encounter with her on guard duty. It was almost a bit more comfortable, likely because they were occupying themselves with eating.

After a few moments of silence, Link's curiosity about their whole meeting in general got the best of him. "If you don't mind me asking, Your Highness," Link began quietly, "is there a reason why His Majesty scheduled a meeting between us three? In other words…not to be rude…but why am I here?"

A more serious look washed over the princess's normally passive expression. Placing down her spoon gently, she turned towards him and set her dark, unreadable gaze upon him.

"I figured you'd ask that," she said softly, the corners of her mouth turning up in a perfectly practiced smile. "Usually, my father does these kinds of things, but he was unfortunately unable to attend…he had some affairs to get straightened away."

The princess's expression suddenly darkened, which was something Link immediately picked up on, and she turned her gaze away from him for a split second. He began to wonder if there was something wrong, but he decided not to pry.

"Sir Link…what you have done for our kingdom has been tremendously helpful," Zelda spoke softly, clear gratitude showing through her tone. The dark expression that she held on her face a mere five seconds ago was wiped clean. "It is unfortunate that some people think otherwise because of your common origins, and I believe the people of this castle have been truly unfair to you. You deserve much better than what you have been given."

Link's eyes widened, shocked at the kind words that came from the princess's mouth. Never in his lifetime had he expected to hear something like that, let alone from the future queen of Hyrule herself. He didn't even believe he thought that of himself, nor did he even think he deserved any of her kind words.

"You've saved our lands, saved me, my father…but you have received nothing in return." Zelda's eyes, while passive, held a hint of sadness. "You even saved your lieutenant's life selflessly a mere fortnight ago. It has proved to the Council that you are much more worthy of a higher ranking in the militia than any other trainee that dwells here."

Link sucked in a silent breath. Worthy of a higher ranking in the militia. That couldn't mean…could it?

"Now, around four to five trainees get promoted to knighthood every six months," Zelda continued on. "However, only the top ranking trainee whom has been decided to be promoted is chosen to dine with my father and I." Zelda's small smile grew a bit wider. "You should be proud that your lieutenant has chosen you as the highest ranking. And you should also be proud that you have earned an offer of promotion to knighthood. Will you accept?"

Link blinked twice at the question, his mind so far in a daze that he felt as if he was in a dream. He couldn't even process anything that was happening.

He finally reached his goal. Finally.

"…Sir Link?" Zelda called out, a hint of worry in her soft tone. "Are you well?"

Link suddenly snapped out of his haze and shook his head. "O—Oh, my apologies, Your Highness." He chuckled awkwardly. "I just…sorry, I'm just processing what you said right now."

"Ah. Take as much time as you need."

Zelda gave him a gentle smile, one that for some odd reason, made his stomach flip a dozen times over. She had a captivating smile, of course, but what really caught Link's attention was the small dimple that always formed in her right cheek. He thought it made her so much more beautiful.

Oh goddesses. Beautiful? What was he thinking? Link mentally slapped himself at the improper thoughts and attempted to focus himself on the real important issues at hand. His knighthood.

"S—Sorry, Your Highness," Link mumbled after a few moments of silence. "Of…of course I accept. I would be happy to."

Zelda's smile grew wide, deepening the dimple imbedded into her soft skin. "Oh, that is wonderful, Sir Link. I am so glad. You are going to do so well."

"I appreciate your words of gratitude, Your Highness." Link's eyes softened a bit. "It…it means a lot to me. Much more than you think."

"Of course. Thank you for accepting the role with such humbleness."

Zelda's dark gaze locked onto his, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. He didn't know what overcame him, but he felt completely entranced. A flood of emotions that he had yet to understand washed over him, emotions that felt timeless, as if they had been resting in his soul for centuries. He felt as if he had known her for thousands of years, as if he was completely connected to her, through ways that he couldn't even begin to explain.

Then, suddenly, the strange feeling went away, and he snapped out of it in an instant.

"Well, on a different topic, another dish should be coming out shortly," Zelda said, breaking the brief silence between them. She turned away from him and began to finish her pea soup, almost a little too quickly than she normally did. In fact, her usual calm, collected veil was slightly cracked, and she seemed almost a little frazzled.

Could she have felt what he felt too?

Before Link could think of anything to say to her, she suddenly placed her spoon down and turned back towards him. Her slightly frazzled expression was completely gone, almost making him believe that it had never been there in the first place.

"If I may ask you a question, Sir Link…" Zelda's veil cracked once again, and for a moment, she was the one who looked nervous. "Did I…did I bring up the topic of your promotion too…harshly? I've never offered such a position before, as it was always my father who did the talking. You seemed a bit more shocked than usual when I brought it up to you. I did not mean to scare you, if that's how you felt—"

"Your Highness," Link suddenly interrupted, shaking his head firmly. "I do not feel scared nor intimidated. You brought up the topic perfectly."

Zelda smiled gently, her shoulders slumping slightly forward in clear relief. "That is good to hear. Promotions are a very big thing to accept, and are almost life altering…"

"Your Highness. I swear to you, I am willing to fully accept these changes. I have been ready for a long time."

Zelda's eyes immediately searched his, and after a few moments, she gave him a firm nod. "Good. I am glad—"

The princess was suddenly interrupted by the servant bursting through the entrance once again, pushing another cart with two dishes on top. However, the plates were much bigger, giving Link the indication that they were on the main course.

"Thank you, Francis," Zelda said soothingly as the servant placed the two dishes in front of them both. "You may be dismissed for the night."

Francis gave a graceful bow, which was so deep that Link almost thought he was going to fall on his face. "Farewell, My Lady. Have a splendid rest of your evening."

Francis turned on his heel and scurried away, closing the enormous doors gently behind him as he exited.

Link's wolf senses could already pick up the scent of the dish even though it was covered by another cloche, and it smelled absolutely delicious. He instantly picked up that the smell resembled pork, along with a fainter scent of potatoes and vegetables. His stomach gave a low rumble, and he suddenly realized how hungry he truly was. The pea soup, although delicious, unfortunately did little to fill him up.

Unable to control himself any longer, Link reached out excitedly to take off the cloche. However, as he placed his hand atop the handle, a warm, gloved hand on his lower bicep suddenly stopped him, shooting jolts of electricity throughout his entire body.

"Sir Link, before we dine, I must confess something," the princess said softly. Her face held her usual passive expression, but her eyes told a completely different story. "It has been weighing on me for quite a while."

Shocked at the sudden announcement, Link slowly withdrew his hand from the cloche, and Zelda dropped her hand from his bicep. Folding her hands delicately in her lap, she continued on calmly.

"I wouldn't say this if my father were here…but I feel I must apologize…for not speaking to you much after the war." Zelda's eyes held a whirlwind of emotions that Link had never once seen her express before. "We could've been good friends, great friends, even…but I shut myself out. I was buried with my own burdens, my own guilt from the war, and I know we could have confided in one another, because we went through the same experiences, after all. But I just…I didn't."

Link felt his heart squeeze uncontrollably as he studied her expression. Her face still remained passive, but her eyes held clear pain, layers and layers of it, pain that had been shoved down and gone unexpressed for a very long while. It was pain far beyond his understanding, hidden beneath her many layers, locked away from the ones she knew and loved. The complexity of it was mind baffling, and Link began to believe he would never be able to fully grasp it.

You are not the only one who has been blackened by the Twilight, Ilia's words suddenly rang throughout his head. All of us have been damaged. Every single last one.

"Your highness…I…" Link didn't know if he was allowed, but he impulsively placed his bare hand atop her shoulder, causing Zelda's eyes to dart up to his defensively. He suddenly worried that touching her might have been a bit over the line, but after a few moments, her eyes thankfully softened and she relaxed into his touch.

"Who says we cannot still be friends?" Link asked, giving her a soft smile.

The corners of Zelda's mouth twitched for a moment, and to Link's uttermost relief, her lips upturned in a sweet smile. Gone was the pained emotion in her eyes, replaced with a genuine look of hopefulness.

"Yes, of course," Zelda spoke softly. "You are right."

A few moments passed until Link pried his hand of the princess's shoulder and placed it back into his lap. However, he could not help but feel a strange sense of disappointment as he pulled his hand away, his fingers oddly itching to be in contact with her own once more.

Goddesses, not again. What was with him and his improper thoughts? He was sure even thinking such things about the princess broke about every damned royal rule in the book.

"Shall we get into the main course?" Zelda asked politely, snapping Link out of his thoughts once again.

"Err…yes. My apologies. I—I forgot the food was in front of us."

"It is no problem at all." Zelda reached out and took the cloche off her dish, revealing a tender slice of pork soaked in some sort of special sauce, with a small pile of red potatoes and vegetables on the side.

So Link's original guess was right. His wolf senses rarely ever failed him.

"Sir Link, if I may ask," Zelda spoke up as she began to dig into her own plate, "how have you liked it here, staying at the castle? I know it's a significant change from your hometown, but I hope you've adapted at least a bit."

Link swallowed a piece of his pork and placed his utensils down. If he was truly honest with himself, moving to the castle wasn't the most pleasurable thing he had ever experienced. Adapting to the changes of the castle was the simple part, for he had always adapted to change quite quickly and with ease. It was just his continuous failure to be promoted to knighthood that truly bothered him, along with Ralio and the rest of the trainees constantly treating him like an outsider.

Thankfully, both of those things had changed. Maybe the next few months staying at the castle would be much better.

"It's been…different," Link answered in the most honest way he could. "Not awful, though."

Zelda's eyes shone with a bit of concern, but she thankfully didn't push him for anymore answers. "I'm glad." She took another delicate bite of her pork. "And how is your family back in Ordon? Are they well?"

Link felt his entire body freeze at the question. He knew she was just attempting to be polite and start conversation, but the topic was definitely a sore subject that he didn't want to discuss. The princess seemed kind enough, but his family wasn't anything he felt comfortable talking about, especially since he didn't know her very well.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could really do about it. He would just have to sugarcoat as best as he could.

"I…I'm honestly not sure," Link mumbled, gluing his eyes onto his lap. "I haven't spoken with them in a while."

If Zelda suspected something strange, she didn't show it. "Well, that's quite normal for soldiers who have recently moved away from their hometowns. It's difficult attempting to send letters back home. Time here is a luxury."

Link nodded his head in agreement. It was true, the amount of free time he had at the castle was quite frankly slim to none. Ordon was completely different, as he always found ways to relax or to do what he truly pleased. In his spare time, he would frequently sketch wildlife outdoors, but he never had a free moment to do that anymore.

It bothered him a little, but it was the price he was willing to pay for a new life.

"How long has it been since you've spoken with them?" Zelda asked curiously. "A few months, I presume?"

Link swallowed thickly. This was exactly the question he didn't want to answer. "Err…no. It's been about…a year."

Zelda's eyebrow twitched slightly at that statement, but she didn't show any further signs of reaction or concern. She hid it well, whatever she was thinking in that oddly intelligent head of hers.

"May I why that is?" she said after a few moments of silence. "You aren't required to give me an answer if you aren't feeling up to it."

Link boldly met her gaze for a moment, searching her eyes for any sort of emotion. They were the same as always, dark and passive, but when he looked deeper he saw something else. Deep beneath her layers lied trust and sympathy, a person who he could confide in without judgement or scrutiny. It was then that he realized he had nothing to worry about. She just wanted to listen.

"I…well…it's a pretty simple answer," Link mumbled awkwardly. He ripped his eyes from her strangely captivating gaze and looked down at his lap. "I wasn't exactly forward with them when I left. It was too hard to face them. Now I just…I dunno…"

"Feel too ashamed to even try," Zelda finished for him.

Link looked up from his lap and met her gaze once again, now staring into eyes that held such a deep sense of understanding. She gave him a sad smile.

"I understand," she said softly. "It's nothing to feel guilt-ridden about."

Link let out a soft sigh and went silent. The room was completely quiet for about a minute, until Zelda took in a gentle breath and continued speaking.

"But Sir Link, I'm sure your family means a lot to you," Zelda continued. "Am I correct?"

Link nodded. "More than anything."

"Of course. Don't you agree that they likely feel the same way for you?"

Link paused for moment. Of course his family cared about him. They treated him like he was their own blood, even though he wasn't even technically related to any of them. Uli, Rusl, Ilia, Colin—they were his real family. They were the ones who cared, the ones who accepted him into their homes when he was practically an orphan.

So, yes, they cared. They cared just the same.

"Yes, without a doubt," Link replied quietly.

Zelda gave him another one of her knowing smiles that made him feel like she was reading his mind. "Then if they cared for you that much, they would have no trouble with you coming back to finally talk with them," she told him. "No grudges or resentment would be held. They would just be happy that they can speak to you again."

Link swallowed quickly, suddenly feeling a lump forming in his throat. He couldn't even believe that he was receiving advice on this issue from the princess herself. The princess was honestly right, which made him wish that he had the chance to become acquainted with her a long time ago. He needed her words much more then.

He didn't know what he would do with his family from this point on. The thought of attempting to reach out to them was still intensely nerve wracking, but he would much rather do it than never at all. He wasn't worried as much about Uli and Rusl than he was about Ilia, because he knew she was the type to hold year long grudges, and he also knew how much he hurt her by leaving. Attempting to gain her forgiveness would be no easy task.

"The only thing you must do is be brave and face them head on," Zelda continued, "which I believe you can do. The goddesses didn't bless you with the Triforce of Courage for no reason at all."

With that last statement, Zelda gave him an uncharacteristic wink, which ignited a gentle laugh to erupt from Link's lips.

"T—Thanks, Your Highness," Link said, still laughing a bit. "But I don't think the Triforce of Courage has much help for me on this one."

"Ah, nonsense." Zelda waved him off playfully. "The Triforce can go a much longer way than you believe."

"Sure," Link replied sarcastically.

"Oh, come now. You don't believe your Triforce can be used for other reasons?"

"I believe it can help me with fighting."

Zelda gave him an incredulous look, one that was again very uncharacteristic. "You soldiers are so stubborn," she stated with annoyance. However, the faint twitch of her lips indicated that she was clearly joking.

"Yes, I will admit that we are," Link said, the corners of his lips turning up in a coy smile. "But I won't admit that my Triforce can actually help me with my…personal problems."

Zelda let out a soft laugh. "You just wait and see, Sir Link."

"Uh huh." Link stuffed a few potatoes into his mouth and swallowed. "I won't believe it until I see it."

Shaking her head in amusement, Zelda fell quiet and went back to eating her dish. However, after a few moments of a surprisingly comfortable silence, she whirled around in her seat and looked up at the enormous clock nailed to the wall behind her.

"Oh, goddesses," Zelda said as she stared up at the clock. "It is much past the time we were allowed to meet."

She turned back towards him, and for a split second, he almost thought he saw a bit of disappointment in her ever so passive expression. "I'm afraid this is where I must end our meeting," she informed him, rising from her chair. "It was a pleasure, Sir Link. I hope to see you soon."

Link rose from his chair as well. "Of course, Your Highness. I had an excellent time."

Zelda smiled up at him, or rather, straight at him, since she was only about three inches shorter, until her eyes suddenly lit up in alarm.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you one last thing!" she exclaimed. "My apologies, my father always remembers these things."

"It is no trouble, Your Highness." Link gave her a kind smile. "What is it?"

Zelda looked to the ceiling in thought. "Well…every six months, as you may know, trainees are chosen to become knights," she began. "And every six months, we also hold a grand ball in celebration of those promoted. They are announced in front of the crowd of guests and are required to recite an oath, binding them of their duties to Hyrule."

A wave of anxiety suddenly rushed over Link's body. He had to recite an oath in front of possibly hundreds of guests? Only the goddesses knew how awful he was with large crowds, and he was even worse when he attempted to recite or recall something. No possible way he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

"It is a very short oath, I assure you," Zelda went on. "I can provide it to you to recite on your own…Sir Link, are you alright?"

Link snapped out of his daze. "O—Oh. My apologies, Your Highness. I am well."

Zelda cocked an eyebrow at him, giving him an incredulous look under her long, dark lashes. She wasn't buying it.

"Are you worried about the oath?" she asked gently, reading his mind once again.

Link debated on lying, but he knew she wouldn't buy any of it. He eventually let out a sigh of defeat and slumped his shoulders forward.

"I just…I don't really do well with…crowds." Link immediately wanted to smack himself in the face. He sounded pathetic. "And remembering things…I'm pretty bad at it."

The princess, instead of giving him the judgmental look he mostly expected from people of her status, gave him an understanding smile.

"That is understandable," she said kindly. "It is a very nerve wracking thing to do, and especially in front of all the lords and ladies of the castle…I can only see why your anxieties have been heightened. The nobility will seize any chance to judge or scrutinize someone's name, unfortunately…"

Goddesses, that was just wonderful. How could he even be expected to get up in front of people like that?

"However, there is a solution to this predicament…" The princess's veil cracked once again, revealing an uncharacteristically giddy smile. "I can help you prepare."

Link raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Y—You can? But don't you have a lot of other things on your plate—"

"Minimal things, yes. Those can be managed."

Link fought hard to repress the smile soon creeping up on his lips. He didn't know why he felt so excited to gain help from the princess, whom he had barely spoken to for the past year up until now. Maybe he was just excited that he would have an excuse to spend more time with her.

Wait…spend more time with her? What on earth was he thinking? They were barely even friends, maybe acquaintances at this moment, but not friends.

"I'll admit, Your Highness, I probably do need your help," Link stated after a few moments of silence. He chuckled softly. "If it isn't a strain on your work, of course, and if it's even allowed..."

Zelda waved him off. "No strain. My father and the court will find meetings such as these perfectly acceptable, since we are sticking strictly to business. There is a little over a week until the ball, so I can help you prepare until then. I can help you remember the oath, and most importantly, teach you how to properly act in front of the nobility. They are scrutinizing people, so I want you to be as best prepared as possible."

"Of course. I would be glad to."

"That is wonderful, Sir Link," Zelda said. "I'll send my personal maiden to your chambers tomorrow to meet. It will likely be later in the day."

Link's eyes widened. His chambers? He didn't have any sort of personal room.

"M—My chambers?" Link blurted.

Zelda's lips twitched at his astonished tone, but she didn't laugh. "Yes, your chambers. All trainees receive their own room in the castle once promoted. I advise you to start packing your things from your previous establishment, since a guard will likely be sent your way to escort you by tomorrow."

Link stared at her in shock for a moment. He had almost completely forgot that knights were allowed their own personal rooms, to live in the castle among all of the nobility and high ranking militia officials.

It was almost all a bit overwhelming, everything he was processing in one brief dinner. So many things were changing, once again, but he wasn't afraid. For the first time in a long while, he genuinely looked forward to what could be held in the future.

"I would love to stay and chat with you a bit more, Sir Link, but I must take my leave," Zelda informed him. "And I'm almost positive your escort guard is getting a bit…impatient out there."

Link chuckled. "Poor guy. I'd better get going." He proceeded to give a deep bow, in the exact same form Lord Clevear had taught him to. "Goodnight, Your Highness. It was a pleasure, truly. I mean it."

"I am glad to hear that," Zelda said politely. "Goodnight to you as well."

Link sheepishly waved and walked out of the enormous entrance, where he was greeted by an impatient guard tapping his foot in annoyance on the ground. However, Link did not even process the guard's obvious irritation, for he already felt as light as a feather.

For once, he didn't feel the gaping void in his heart that he had felt for so long after the war. He thought about his future, his training as a knight, all of the things he could learn to grow as a person and a guardian of the royal line. However, the most reoccurring thought he had as he was escorted back to his barracks was the princess, for some strange reason he had yet to understand.