"Princess, Sir Link, your presence is requested in the King's study, immediately." A page interrupted Zelda and Link's conversation. The two had taken the opportunity of the relative morning calmness to stroll through the elaborate gardens adjoining the palace and talk about their possible future plans.
"I wonder what he could want?" Link's brow furrowed into small creases and his lips drew upwards into a small scowl.
Zelda shrugged her shoulders; she had no clue why her brother would want to see her. She was sure that nothing could break the bubble of happiness she wore standing next to her love and fiancé.
How wrong she was.
************
"I want you to call this off. Immediately." Taryn's voice echoed through the study that was, for once, empty of his guards.
Zelda reached over and grabbed Link's hand in a tight grip. "No. You can't force us. We are getting married."
Her brother got up from behind his desk, coming around until he was face to face with his sister. "You will not. I will not have the royalty disgraced like this."
She could feel Link tremble in anger next to her. "It is law. Even you can't go against that."
He raised a fist as if to strike her, but Link deftly pulled her behind him and stood between the two. Taryn looked as if he might strike anyway, but without the presence of his guards decided against it. "Fine. Have it your way. You will either call off this marriage, or you will be banished. Far, far away from Hyrule. I will declare your death and you will never be allowed in this country's borders again. You will be forced to live the life of a peasant, unknown, and unwelcome everywhere you go."
She looked at him wordlessly over Link's shoulder, before pulling Link back to her side. "Goodbye, Taryn." The two wordlessly moved to walk out of the door.
"Wait…" The princess paused and looked back, wondering if her brother was regretting his decision.
"I have something for you. An ragtag looking mop who claims an acutance with you. He reached around his desk and pulled a bell, signaling two guards who were dragging an unconscious third between them. "He showed up at the gates this morning, claiming he knew you two. I was going to simply through him in the dungeon, but my cells are too full with Ahenous and his men."
"Link!" The two rushed forward and forced the man away from the guards.
"Link? Some long lost relative?" Taryn sneered at the princess's betrothed.
"No, a Prince of Hyrule and the Hero of Time." Impa stood in the doorway, her face pale. "Though I can't imagine why he would travel forward through time again."
Taryn stood there for a moment, before a shaking laugh engulfed him. "Time travel. Good one." He was wiping at tears that were streaming out of his eyes.
Zelda glared at him, before issuing orders to the two guards. "Take him to my room and call the physician." She turned to leave the room, and Taryn grabbed her wrist.
"What makes you think you still have a room? I want you, Link, and this ragtag gone now."
She glanced at Link, motioning him to stand down as he looked like he was ready to draw his sword, guards or no. "Give me until tomorrow to say goodbye." He stuttered, as if to refuse her, so she quickly continued. "And so I can stage my disappearance. We wouldn't want this reflecting poorly on you now, would we?"
"Fine. You have until dawn." With that he motioned for the guards to drop the Hero of Time, and left the room.
************
Between the two of them, Link and Zelda managed to carry the Hero of Time up to her quarters and deposit him on her bed.
"What is he doing here?" Link asked, straitening the Hero's legs into a more comfortable position as Zelda got a wet rag to wash the dirt off of his face and hands.
"His time traveling must not have worked. Maybe he wasn't able to get back to the correct time." She mopped at his brow, earning a low moan from the bed.
"Whatever happened to him, what in this world could have earned him a sword through the gut?"
She grit her teeth. "Whatever was, it better have not been the work of my beloved brother, or he will wake up tomorrow with a few missing parts."
Any comment Link was going to make on her remark was interrupted with a load groan from the bed as the figure lying prone in it attempted to sit up suddenly.
"Shhh." Zelda whispered as Link grabbed his arms and gently forced him back down. "Your safe, here with us."
He blinked, fighting to open his eyes. Eventually he opened his eyes and his gaze rested on the woman in front of him. "Where are we?" He asked in a croaked, dry voice.
"We are currently in Zelda's chambers in the palace. We should be safe here for a few hours, at least."
"What happened to you?" Zelda asked as she examined the Hero's wound, which was bleeding slightly from his exertion.
"I made it safely back home. Just in time, as it turned out." He proceeded to tell the two of his battles with the invader who wanted to steal his wife away. "But I had to come back. Ahenous has been in my time, trying to take over the kingdom. Though I killed the Prince, I have no idea what happened to the wizard after the battle, and I fear he may be here."
"Yes, he is. In fact, we have him locked up in the dungeon." Zelda stated, hoping to put the man's mind at ease.
"Are you sure?"
Link looked at him for a moment, fear growing in his heart. "I know one of the guards who has been assigned to watch him. I'll go check." He rose, left the room as Impa entered with a basin of hot water and bandages.
"How is your wife now?" Zelda asked as she began to remove the old bandages that were no covered in grime and dried blood.
He smiled, even though the pain was making it hard to feel joyful at the moment. "She's expecting." He sighed, temporarily lost in reflection. "You should have seen her during the battle. So strong, so courageous. It was amazing to watch her hold up the confidence of an entire nation."
"She sounds amazing. I wish I could meet her." Zelda said a little wistfully as Link reentered the room."
"Actually, I was hoping you might be able to. That is why I came back. For you two." His eyes flicked between Zelda and Link, and then rested his gaze on the young man, reading the dreaded message in them. "He escaped, didn't he."
"Yes, and according to the guards the only thing they found in his room was a small basin with some liquid in it. Sound familiar?"
"He must know that he cannot return to this time. He has no more support here, and would be killed on sight. He has gone back to my time."
Zelda looked at Link, and he nodded slightly. "Then we must go with you, and help you."
He looked at the two of them. "I know it would mean you giving up your lives. But I wouldn't ask if I had any other options. You two know him, know his tactics and ways."
"We'll go." Link walked to Zelda and took her hand in his before continuing with a small smirk on his face. "Besides, we are dead to this world. Taryn will not allow us to live here, together. It is either death or exile." He looked at Zelda. "Looks like we will be able to live in Hyrule together after all, my love."
She squeezed his hand and smiled, then turned to Impa, who was watching the three with tears in her eyes. "Are you coming with us, Impa?"
"No Princess. As much as I love you two, I have family here. And you really don't need me anymore. You will be able to look after each other now." She pulled Zelda to her in tight embrace. "But I will miss you, child."
"And I you, Impa."
**********
