Chapter Sixteen: Alliance Denied
: Later that week, the king decreed his plans for the alliance with the kingdom of Calatia. All week long, the king commanded that the kingdom prepare for the wedding of Princess Zelda and Prince Zensha. The day of the wedding, Zensha found Zelda strolling through the royal courtyard. He saw her through some trees and sneaked up behind her. "Hello my sweet." he said Zelda turned to look at Zensha with quiet anger. Zensha took pride in that. "Are you ready? I know the groom is forbidden to see the bride before the wedding, but, I figured with a woman that looks as good as you do, that nothing could possibly go-"Zensha stopped in his tracks when he rounded a bush and saw Link standing next to the princess, glaring at him with the same expression. He stood with his arms crossed. "Well you certainly have a lot of guts showing your face around here you butcher." scoffed the prince as he lifted his nose to the air.
"Zensha!" growled the princess as Link looked to the floor in silent shame.
"What do you think your doing with my bride anyway? Get lost you disgusting person or with one shout I'll have the marshal paladins in here stomping your kidneys out! I'm positive they're anxious for a rematch." he snickered.
"Don't listen to him Link," said the princess taking hold of his hand.
"Look at you! So timid! I probably wouldn't even need the paladins! Do you need the princess to fight all your battles for you...'Link', is it? No wonder you couldn't defeat the mask's influence! You didn't have Zelda there to hold your hand and tell it to leave you alone!" laughed Zensha. Zelda glared with anger as she balled her fist slowly.
"Do you remember that black eye I gave you? Do you want another one?" said Zelda as she approached Zensha shaking her fist. Link took hold of her arm to stop her.
"Honey..." he said quietly. "Remember what we talked about"
"'Honey'?" said the prince as his face contorted in disgust. He walked over to Link and smacked his hand off of Zelda. "You keep your dirty hands off my bride you little punk!" he shouted. Link would not look Zensha in the eye; he endured the vexing with extreme patience. "I'm going to tell the paladins to keep an eye out for you, if they catch you anywhere near the wedding today, they'll kill you on the spot! Do I make myself clear hobo?" threatened the scrawny prince. He turned and smiled at princess Zelda. You look lovely my dear, but don't wear too much today, it'll make my job easier." he said as he blew a kiss to Zelda. She turned her head in disgust as he walked away.
"That guy makes me want to throw up." Zelda mumbled in disgust. "How can you let him talk to you like that?" asked Zelda.
"A lot of what he said was true Zelda." Link said as he continued to walk through the garden. "I really shouldn't be showing my face around here anymore. I don't know why you want me here."
"You know exactly why I want you here." she said as she took his hand. "Besides, Ruaru has agreed to support us." she continued.
"Well at least you have a respectable opinion." said Link.
"Are you going to be like this forever? Give yourself some credit."
"It's kind of hard Zelda." Link said rather sarcastically.
"Don't you take that tone with me mister." Zelda said with authority. Link looked at Zelda and she laughed. She then reached up and stole Link's cap and put it on her head.
"Hey!" Link shouted with alarm.
"What?" Zelda asked as she looked up at him with his cap on and smiled. All Link could do was blush. "What's the big deal about this cap anyway? Everytime I see you you're wearing it." Link snatched his hat back and nervously tucked it back onto his head.
"I dunno." he said as he shrugged. "It's just a really special cap okay?" Zelda continued to stare at him making him more and more uncomfortable. "Well it's not like I have a whole drawer full of them or anything." said Link as he started to sweat. Zelda smiled in disbelief. "Cuz' I don't." he confirmed. Zelda stopped walking and put her arms around Link.
"You are a great hero Link, and an even greater boyfriend..." Link blushed. "But you are the worst liar in the world." she said as she started laughing. Link looked at her with a sour look of confusion.
"What? What's so funny?"
"I've seen your stash Link." teased Zelda.
"I...don't know what you're talking about. Stash of what?"
"These." she giggled as she pulled his cap off once again.
"Gimmie that!" said Link as she played "keep away". Zelda then stopped and became serious. Link took his hat back and put it back on. "What?" he asked in concern.
"There's...there's something I want to give you." she looked down and pulled out a book. She looked up at him with shamefully nervous eyes. "I didn't read it. I swear."
"That looks like..." said Link in surprise.
"It is. It's your journal. But I swear to you I didn't read a word of it!" she pleaded. Link continued to stare at her with surprise. "I'm sorry Link! I shouldn't have stolen from you! But I was tempted to read it, so I took it, but I never read it." she pleaded with nervous eyes.
"I believe you." Link said casually as he took back his journal.
"Y-you do?" Zelda asked as she smiled.
"Do you want to read it?" Link asked with a smile. Zelda was stunned.
"Uh...well...you, uh..." Zelda stuttered, since she felt a little uncomfortable. Link chuckled.
"I have nothing to hide from you Zelda. Not anymore." he said as he sat down on a nearby stone. Zelda slowly sat down next to him.
"Is it just a record of things you do during the day, or do you write about...uh..."
"My feelings about you?" Link shrugged indifferently. "Both, I guess." Zelda held the book in her hands and looked at it. She looked up at Link who looked at her with a smile. She smiled a bigger smile and looked back down at the book. She was flattered that Link trusted her that much. She held in her hands a window to Link's heart, to see herself through his eyes, to hear what the beat of his heart had to say about her. However she decided she wanted to hear it from him instead.
"No..." she said handing the book back to Link. He looked at her and cocked his head in confusion. "Maybe someday, but not right now. I'm more interested in starting a new book, one that we'll write together." she said as she smiled and nuzzled her face against his.
Out in the Hyrule market, the entire town square was festooned in preparation for the wedding. The people were gathered together to witness the event, though there were murmurings in the crowd. Unhappy murmurings about the king and the events he was setting into motion by giving her daughter's hand as a "proverbial handshake".
Inside the temple of time, Link, Zelda and Ruaru stood together to prepare for the ceremony as they watched the Master Sword glisten.
"...And the mask is hanging on the wall of my study, as we speak. It is now completely harmless." said Ruaru.
"I still say we should destroy it anyway." Link said sourly.
"Easy, dear." said Zelda with a grin.
"I've learned my lesson." said Link.
"I have learned something as well." said Ruaru. Both Link and Zelda looked up at Ruaru. "The Master Sword is too easy to access. Even you were able to acquire it Zelda. No offense to you Princess, but only those who prove themselves worthy should be given the sword. Not that you didn't prove yourself worthy, but the spiritual stones were simply handed to you. And thus the sword itself may as well have been handed to you." he said with concern.
"What are you going to do?" asked Link.
"I'm going to move it from this place." he said. "The spiritual stones shall be hidden, and only the sage that keeps them will know of their whereabouts. I will move the altar into the ever-changing lost woods, where it will be safely hidden. You killed a deity with it Link. That kind of power shouldn't be given to just anybody. Whoever wields it from now on will have earned the right to do so."
"I hope you know what you're doing." said Zelda
"I hope you know what you're doing." Ruaru reciprocated. "You could very well incite a riot, revolt, or worse." he said concerned.
"You and I know that father cant get away with this, he can't do this to the races of Hyrule, to the Hylians, or to us." she said as she took Link's hands.
"The time draws near," said Ruaru. "The people have been filling up the streets leading up to the castle for hours now. Are you ready?" Zelda took a deep breath as Link rubbed her shoulders.
"You can do it Zelda," Link encouraged, "I'll be right there with you." she turned to look at him. "I'll never leave your side." the two shared a deep kiss. Ruaru sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked back to see them still kissing and decided to brake them up.
"Alright, alright, as of now, you are still supposed to marry another man Zelda. We must go." The three of them left the temple. Link was the last one out, and he stopped as the other two continued on, and he turned and looked at the mighty sword one last time. He smiled a sly grin, and closed the doors.
Ruaru waited at the top of the stairs as the ceremony on the front lawn of the castle began. Zelda slowly walked up the stairs wearing the traditional wedding gown of the royal princess. Zensha waited at the top of the stairs as he smiled excitedly. Zelda preformed all the formal curtseys to Zensha, Ruaru, and the two Kings, who watched from adjacent thrones above Ruaru. Ruaru began the ceremony by reciting all the traditional scripts from the book of Mudora. Then came the drinking from the sacred glass. Both the bride and groom were to drink from the sacred glass that the original King of Hyrule drank his own blood from as a demonstration of his eternal love for the very first queen of Hyrule. Zensha drank the wine as he tried to seduce Zelda with his eyes. Zelda was only repulsed. Zensha handed the cup back to Ruaru, who then handed it to Zelda.
"Do you Zelda, drink from the sacred glass to authenticate your eternal love for Prince Zensha and seal the pact between the two kingdoms?" Zelda looked at the cup and gave it back to Ruaru.
"I refuse." she said and the crowd seemed to give a collective gasp.
"Zelda..." growled the king as he slowly rose up from his throne.
"I told you I won't have a part in this father!"
"Zelda please." the king sneered through gritted teeth as he tried to maintain his composure before the masses. "This is important Zelda. For your future."
"No, it's for your future."
"Zelda..." he growled louder and began to loose his composure.
"Father, there is no more need to trade with Calatia. The gorons have put out double their "special crop" in the past week, of what they've put out in one month. There are excessive amounts of exotic fish spilling onto the streets of Hyrule market. The potion shops have an abundance of fairies and potions from the forest. Hyrule's economy is booming!" she said. The crowd agreed with Zelda and individual cries of support were heard from the crowd.
"At the moment that may be true, Zelda. But the fact is, history will repeat itself. The economy of this great nation will no doubt fall into a recession someday. I want to give us a hope by putting it in the hands of a new investment. Twenty years from now, this will be the richest country in the world." "Boos" could be heard from the crowd as the Hylians supported the neighboring races. "And besides Zelda, this is your future I'm concerned about. Zensha will be a good husband. He is very rich and will be able to provide you with the must luxurious of comforts. Please Zelda, don't make this any harder than it has to be." pleaded the king.
"I don't love him father, I don't. I want to marry the one that I've chosen, not the one you choose."
"Oh, so you have the wisdom to make such a choice Zelda? Please, show me, who have you chosen?" he asked. Zelda turned and pointed to the bottom of the stairs, much to the king's surprise.
"I choose Link." she said and the crowd rumbled. Link slowly and shamefully started to walk up the steps. As he proceeded, the low murmurings gradually turned to cheers, and before Link had gotten halfway up the stairs, all of Hyrule roared in ecstatic glee for their one, true champion. Link was a deeper color of crimson than the blood that pumped through Zelda's heart. He couldn't believe he was still accepted after the terrible mistake he had made.
"Link?" snapped the king in disgust. I can't believe I let you talk me out of throwing him into the dungeons."
"I can't believe you let Zensha talk you into it." she said as she looked at Zensha with anger. Link reached the top of the stairs and bowed to the king, though he refused to remove his cap. He took the princess' hand.
"With all do respect your highness," Link said timidly. "I agree with the princess. What you are doing isn't fair to the neighboring races. Without them, Zelda never would have acquired the strength she needed to save me from the mask of Charantanatah. I owe them my life, just as much as I owe her." the crowd cheered more in support of Link than they did of Zelda. The king looked at the couple with frustration.
"You would choose Link over Zensha?"
"Without question." she said. "Ruaru has already agreed to marry us father. I choose him." the crowd cheered as the king looked down in contemplative thought. He then looked up at Zelda.
"My daughter, I'm sorry you feel that way. For I have signed the treaty pact, and a castle is already being built for you and Zensha on the shores of Calatia, per Zensha's request, and most importantly, Link is not a prince. You can only marry a prince Zelda, and that prince will be Zensha. I'm sorry you had to make your feelings known, for now this day of festivity has become a day of sorrow." he said.
"Too bad chap. I win. Oh, and the paladins would like to have a word with you after the ceremony." scoffed Zensha as he pulled Zelda away from Link. Zelda looked at Link in despair and he returned her look. She looked up at Ruaru, and he motioned to her that it was in her hands at that point. Zelda looked at Link again and smiled a tearful smile and pulled free of Zensha's clutches.
"Link replenished Hyrule with the rod of enrichment, but if that still isn't enough then there is only one other way I can stop you. I have no choice." she said sorrowfully. The King raised an eyebrow in curiosity waiting to see what Zelda would do. To the kingdom's surprise, Zelda removed her tiara.
"What are you doing Zelda?" asked the King in a panic.
"I will always be your daughter father, but I will no longer be the princess." the crowd gasped.
"What do you think you're doing woman?!" shrieked the prince.
"I'm abdicating my throne you dummy." she said as she tossed her tiara down the stairs. "My last act as princess is too negate the Hylian/Calatian trade pact, by rendering myself unable to wed prince Zensha and seal the agreement." she said as she looked up at Link. Link smiled and winked at her as they held hands again. The prince began to pout and whine hysterically, and the king stood astounded by what his daughter had done. She ultimately did stop him from doing what he planned to do. He never thought she would even consider paying the price she chose to pay. What stunned him even more, is that she seemed to be happy with her decision. And seeing her truly happy, with Link, made him realize what he had been doing. It made him see that everything he thought he had been doing to please the princess and the kingdom, was really only done to please himself.
"You!" shouted Zensha as he pointed at Link. Zelda rolled her eyes and smiled while she stepped out of the way. Link crossed his arms and watched the little prince throw a tantrum. "This is all your fault! You put her up to this! You bastard! I'll kill you!" he shouted as he swung at Link. Link merely put his hand up and Zensha slugged Link's palm and recoiled crying in pain while holding his wrist. Link flicked Zensha's royal jewel off his head. "My crown!" he cried as he bent over trying to catch it. Link then booted Zensha over the steps into one of the great fountains and the crowd laughed and cheered. Zelda wrapped her arms around Link and they shared a kiss for the entire kingdom to see. The crowd cheered and Link and Zelda walked down the stairs together.
: Later that week, the king decreed his plans for the alliance with the kingdom of Calatia. All week long, the king commanded that the kingdom prepare for the wedding of Princess Zelda and Prince Zensha. The day of the wedding, Zensha found Zelda strolling through the royal courtyard. He saw her through some trees and sneaked up behind her. "Hello my sweet." he said Zelda turned to look at Zensha with quiet anger. Zensha took pride in that. "Are you ready? I know the groom is forbidden to see the bride before the wedding, but, I figured with a woman that looks as good as you do, that nothing could possibly go-"Zensha stopped in his tracks when he rounded a bush and saw Link standing next to the princess, glaring at him with the same expression. He stood with his arms crossed. "Well you certainly have a lot of guts showing your face around here you butcher." scoffed the prince as he lifted his nose to the air.
"Zensha!" growled the princess as Link looked to the floor in silent shame.
"What do you think your doing with my bride anyway? Get lost you disgusting person or with one shout I'll have the marshal paladins in here stomping your kidneys out! I'm positive they're anxious for a rematch." he snickered.
"Don't listen to him Link," said the princess taking hold of his hand.
"Look at you! So timid! I probably wouldn't even need the paladins! Do you need the princess to fight all your battles for you...'Link', is it? No wonder you couldn't defeat the mask's influence! You didn't have Zelda there to hold your hand and tell it to leave you alone!" laughed Zensha. Zelda glared with anger as she balled her fist slowly.
"Do you remember that black eye I gave you? Do you want another one?" said Zelda as she approached Zensha shaking her fist. Link took hold of her arm to stop her.
"Honey..." he said quietly. "Remember what we talked about"
"'Honey'?" said the prince as his face contorted in disgust. He walked over to Link and smacked his hand off of Zelda. "You keep your dirty hands off my bride you little punk!" he shouted. Link would not look Zensha in the eye; he endured the vexing with extreme patience. "I'm going to tell the paladins to keep an eye out for you, if they catch you anywhere near the wedding today, they'll kill you on the spot! Do I make myself clear hobo?" threatened the scrawny prince. He turned and smiled at princess Zelda. You look lovely my dear, but don't wear too much today, it'll make my job easier." he said as he blew a kiss to Zelda. She turned her head in disgust as he walked away.
"That guy makes me want to throw up." Zelda mumbled in disgust. "How can you let him talk to you like that?" asked Zelda.
"A lot of what he said was true Zelda." Link said as he continued to walk through the garden. "I really shouldn't be showing my face around here anymore. I don't know why you want me here."
"You know exactly why I want you here." she said as she took his hand. "Besides, Ruaru has agreed to support us." she continued.
"Well at least you have a respectable opinion." said Link.
"Are you going to be like this forever? Give yourself some credit."
"It's kind of hard Zelda." Link said rather sarcastically.
"Don't you take that tone with me mister." Zelda said with authority. Link looked at Zelda and she laughed. She then reached up and stole Link's cap and put it on her head.
"Hey!" Link shouted with alarm.
"What?" Zelda asked as she looked up at him with his cap on and smiled. All Link could do was blush. "What's the big deal about this cap anyway? Everytime I see you you're wearing it." Link snatched his hat back and nervously tucked it back onto his head.
"I dunno." he said as he shrugged. "It's just a really special cap okay?" Zelda continued to stare at him making him more and more uncomfortable. "Well it's not like I have a whole drawer full of them or anything." said Link as he started to sweat. Zelda smiled in disbelief. "Cuz' I don't." he confirmed. Zelda stopped walking and put her arms around Link.
"You are a great hero Link, and an even greater boyfriend..." Link blushed. "But you are the worst liar in the world." she said as she started laughing. Link looked at her with a sour look of confusion.
"What? What's so funny?"
"I've seen your stash Link." teased Zelda.
"I...don't know what you're talking about. Stash of what?"
"These." she giggled as she pulled his cap off once again.
"Gimmie that!" said Link as she played "keep away". Zelda then stopped and became serious. Link took his hat back and put it back on. "What?" he asked in concern.
"There's...there's something I want to give you." she looked down and pulled out a book. She looked up at him with shamefully nervous eyes. "I didn't read it. I swear."
"That looks like..." said Link in surprise.
"It is. It's your journal. But I swear to you I didn't read a word of it!" she pleaded. Link continued to stare at her with surprise. "I'm sorry Link! I shouldn't have stolen from you! But I was tempted to read it, so I took it, but I never read it." she pleaded with nervous eyes.
"I believe you." Link said casually as he took back his journal.
"Y-you do?" Zelda asked as she smiled.
"Do you want to read it?" Link asked with a smile. Zelda was stunned.
"Uh...well...you, uh..." Zelda stuttered, since she felt a little uncomfortable. Link chuckled.
"I have nothing to hide from you Zelda. Not anymore." he said as he sat down on a nearby stone. Zelda slowly sat down next to him.
"Is it just a record of things you do during the day, or do you write about...uh..."
"My feelings about you?" Link shrugged indifferently. "Both, I guess." Zelda held the book in her hands and looked at it. She looked up at Link who looked at her with a smile. She smiled a bigger smile and looked back down at the book. She was flattered that Link trusted her that much. She held in her hands a window to Link's heart, to see herself through his eyes, to hear what the beat of his heart had to say about her. However she decided she wanted to hear it from him instead.
"No..." she said handing the book back to Link. He looked at her and cocked his head in confusion. "Maybe someday, but not right now. I'm more interested in starting a new book, one that we'll write together." she said as she smiled and nuzzled her face against his.
Out in the Hyrule market, the entire town square was festooned in preparation for the wedding. The people were gathered together to witness the event, though there were murmurings in the crowd. Unhappy murmurings about the king and the events he was setting into motion by giving her daughter's hand as a "proverbial handshake".
Inside the temple of time, Link, Zelda and Ruaru stood together to prepare for the ceremony as they watched the Master Sword glisten.
"...And the mask is hanging on the wall of my study, as we speak. It is now completely harmless." said Ruaru.
"I still say we should destroy it anyway." Link said sourly.
"Easy, dear." said Zelda with a grin.
"I've learned my lesson." said Link.
"I have learned something as well." said Ruaru. Both Link and Zelda looked up at Ruaru. "The Master Sword is too easy to access. Even you were able to acquire it Zelda. No offense to you Princess, but only those who prove themselves worthy should be given the sword. Not that you didn't prove yourself worthy, but the spiritual stones were simply handed to you. And thus the sword itself may as well have been handed to you." he said with concern.
"What are you going to do?" asked Link.
"I'm going to move it from this place." he said. "The spiritual stones shall be hidden, and only the sage that keeps them will know of their whereabouts. I will move the altar into the ever-changing lost woods, where it will be safely hidden. You killed a deity with it Link. That kind of power shouldn't be given to just anybody. Whoever wields it from now on will have earned the right to do so."
"I hope you know what you're doing." said Zelda
"I hope you know what you're doing." Ruaru reciprocated. "You could very well incite a riot, revolt, or worse." he said concerned.
"You and I know that father cant get away with this, he can't do this to the races of Hyrule, to the Hylians, or to us." she said as she took Link's hands.
"The time draws near," said Ruaru. "The people have been filling up the streets leading up to the castle for hours now. Are you ready?" Zelda took a deep breath as Link rubbed her shoulders.
"You can do it Zelda," Link encouraged, "I'll be right there with you." she turned to look at him. "I'll never leave your side." the two shared a deep kiss. Ruaru sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked back to see them still kissing and decided to brake them up.
"Alright, alright, as of now, you are still supposed to marry another man Zelda. We must go." The three of them left the temple. Link was the last one out, and he stopped as the other two continued on, and he turned and looked at the mighty sword one last time. He smiled a sly grin, and closed the doors.
Ruaru waited at the top of the stairs as the ceremony on the front lawn of the castle began. Zelda slowly walked up the stairs wearing the traditional wedding gown of the royal princess. Zensha waited at the top of the stairs as he smiled excitedly. Zelda preformed all the formal curtseys to Zensha, Ruaru, and the two Kings, who watched from adjacent thrones above Ruaru. Ruaru began the ceremony by reciting all the traditional scripts from the book of Mudora. Then came the drinking from the sacred glass. Both the bride and groom were to drink from the sacred glass that the original King of Hyrule drank his own blood from as a demonstration of his eternal love for the very first queen of Hyrule. Zensha drank the wine as he tried to seduce Zelda with his eyes. Zelda was only repulsed. Zensha handed the cup back to Ruaru, who then handed it to Zelda.
"Do you Zelda, drink from the sacred glass to authenticate your eternal love for Prince Zensha and seal the pact between the two kingdoms?" Zelda looked at the cup and gave it back to Ruaru.
"I refuse." she said and the crowd seemed to give a collective gasp.
"Zelda..." growled the king as he slowly rose up from his throne.
"I told you I won't have a part in this father!"
"Zelda please." the king sneered through gritted teeth as he tried to maintain his composure before the masses. "This is important Zelda. For your future."
"No, it's for your future."
"Zelda..." he growled louder and began to loose his composure.
"Father, there is no more need to trade with Calatia. The gorons have put out double their "special crop" in the past week, of what they've put out in one month. There are excessive amounts of exotic fish spilling onto the streets of Hyrule market. The potion shops have an abundance of fairies and potions from the forest. Hyrule's economy is booming!" she said. The crowd agreed with Zelda and individual cries of support were heard from the crowd.
"At the moment that may be true, Zelda. But the fact is, history will repeat itself. The economy of this great nation will no doubt fall into a recession someday. I want to give us a hope by putting it in the hands of a new investment. Twenty years from now, this will be the richest country in the world." "Boos" could be heard from the crowd as the Hylians supported the neighboring races. "And besides Zelda, this is your future I'm concerned about. Zensha will be a good husband. He is very rich and will be able to provide you with the must luxurious of comforts. Please Zelda, don't make this any harder than it has to be." pleaded the king.
"I don't love him father, I don't. I want to marry the one that I've chosen, not the one you choose."
"Oh, so you have the wisdom to make such a choice Zelda? Please, show me, who have you chosen?" he asked. Zelda turned and pointed to the bottom of the stairs, much to the king's surprise.
"I choose Link." she said and the crowd rumbled. Link slowly and shamefully started to walk up the steps. As he proceeded, the low murmurings gradually turned to cheers, and before Link had gotten halfway up the stairs, all of Hyrule roared in ecstatic glee for their one, true champion. Link was a deeper color of crimson than the blood that pumped through Zelda's heart. He couldn't believe he was still accepted after the terrible mistake he had made.
"Link?" snapped the king in disgust. I can't believe I let you talk me out of throwing him into the dungeons."
"I can't believe you let Zensha talk you into it." she said as she looked at Zensha with anger. Link reached the top of the stairs and bowed to the king, though he refused to remove his cap. He took the princess' hand.
"With all do respect your highness," Link said timidly. "I agree with the princess. What you are doing isn't fair to the neighboring races. Without them, Zelda never would have acquired the strength she needed to save me from the mask of Charantanatah. I owe them my life, just as much as I owe her." the crowd cheered more in support of Link than they did of Zelda. The king looked at the couple with frustration.
"You would choose Link over Zensha?"
"Without question." she said. "Ruaru has already agreed to marry us father. I choose him." the crowd cheered as the king looked down in contemplative thought. He then looked up at Zelda.
"My daughter, I'm sorry you feel that way. For I have signed the treaty pact, and a castle is already being built for you and Zensha on the shores of Calatia, per Zensha's request, and most importantly, Link is not a prince. You can only marry a prince Zelda, and that prince will be Zensha. I'm sorry you had to make your feelings known, for now this day of festivity has become a day of sorrow." he said.
"Too bad chap. I win. Oh, and the paladins would like to have a word with you after the ceremony." scoffed Zensha as he pulled Zelda away from Link. Zelda looked at Link in despair and he returned her look. She looked up at Ruaru, and he motioned to her that it was in her hands at that point. Zelda looked at Link again and smiled a tearful smile and pulled free of Zensha's clutches.
"Link replenished Hyrule with the rod of enrichment, but if that still isn't enough then there is only one other way I can stop you. I have no choice." she said sorrowfully. The King raised an eyebrow in curiosity waiting to see what Zelda would do. To the kingdom's surprise, Zelda removed her tiara.
"What are you doing Zelda?" asked the King in a panic.
"I will always be your daughter father, but I will no longer be the princess." the crowd gasped.
"What do you think you're doing woman?!" shrieked the prince.
"I'm abdicating my throne you dummy." she said as she tossed her tiara down the stairs. "My last act as princess is too negate the Hylian/Calatian trade pact, by rendering myself unable to wed prince Zensha and seal the agreement." she said as she looked up at Link. Link smiled and winked at her as they held hands again. The prince began to pout and whine hysterically, and the king stood astounded by what his daughter had done. She ultimately did stop him from doing what he planned to do. He never thought she would even consider paying the price she chose to pay. What stunned him even more, is that she seemed to be happy with her decision. And seeing her truly happy, with Link, made him realize what he had been doing. It made him see that everything he thought he had been doing to please the princess and the kingdom, was really only done to please himself.
"You!" shouted Zensha as he pointed at Link. Zelda rolled her eyes and smiled while she stepped out of the way. Link crossed his arms and watched the little prince throw a tantrum. "This is all your fault! You put her up to this! You bastard! I'll kill you!" he shouted as he swung at Link. Link merely put his hand up and Zensha slugged Link's palm and recoiled crying in pain while holding his wrist. Link flicked Zensha's royal jewel off his head. "My crown!" he cried as he bent over trying to catch it. Link then booted Zensha over the steps into one of the great fountains and the crowd laughed and cheered. Zelda wrapped her arms around Link and they shared a kiss for the entire kingdom to see. The crowd cheered and Link and Zelda walked down the stairs together.