Chapter 8

"You're late." The chancellor hobbled back to his throne after meeting Link in the doorway. The cute little toadette from earlier shut the door tightly, and returned to her seat across the room between two other toadettes. "I said a certain time, and it has been four minutes past that. You think that you can be four minutes late in saving our Queen from an enemy? Those four minutes could mean her life!" The chancellor scowled as he sat in his throne.

"Your highness, last time I checked, Bowser didn't wear a watch." Link defended.

The chancellor snorted, and looked at another cute toadette, who was across the room, in her chair. "You, fetch me some wine... and some for our guest too." He paused, crossed his arms, and smirked at Link. "You're a smart aleck. I don't like it one bit."

Link sat in a silver chair that was in front of the chancellor. "I only speak my mind, if there is a crime in that then your kingdom is a sad one. I will never be late in saving her highness. A good knight is always there for his lady."

The chancellor chuckled. "Boy, I know why you're here, so don't try to blind me with chivalry. You need money, and she's an easy catch, isn't she?" he stood, and took the goblets of wine from the Toadette, handing one to Link. "Wouldn't take much of your 'loyalty' to get a couple million gold from her, would it? She bought you those fancy clothes you wear, swords of hardened steel with gold and jeweled hilts, each one worth a fortune on its own. You're making quite a killing with your act, boy."

"That's a damn lie." Link yelled, then whispered kindly to the little toadette. "I can't have any wine. I am on duty and I need my head clear." He stood, and started to walk out. "I will not stand to hear this... slur from you."

"Don't get defensive on my account, boy. You're the first of many. I'll make sure you're taken care of." The chancellor signaled for the toadette to give him Link's wine. He drank it in one gulp and put the cup next to the throne. "Sit back down or I will call the guards..."

"If you're accusing me of being dishonest and threatening me, you'd better have some good reason, besides assumptions." Link paused, and sat in his seat again. "I want to be her highness's King someday. I love her already, and I know soon I will love her enough to ask her."

The chancellor finished his last swig of wine, and threw the cup across the room, angered. "So that's your plan! You slithering slime of a snake... you won't settle with wealth, you want to own it all. That is impossible, she will not marry the likes of you. Even if she did want to marry you, I would not allow so." He whistled to the toadette who had locked the doors earlier. "Fetch me my silver treasure box."

The toadette hurried into a room off to the left.

"What do you mean by these accusations? I wish her no harm, and I don't know how I can prove my earnestness and loyalty. You won't even hear me out! You waste my time and yours with these accusations! And what do you mean by 'the likes of you'?"

"A young prince asked for her hand this morning, and made a handsome offer to me. Tonight he is coming to meet her. Any man who will pay ten million gold for a girl's hand must love her."

The toadette hurried in through the door, straining under the weight of the heavy box. Link stood, and assisted her, by picking up the load and carrying it to the chancellor himself.

The toadette breathed a 'thanks' and hurried out, knowing the chancellor would scold her.

"You thief! Get your hands off of my treasure!" The chancellor exclaimed as Link placed the box in front of the throne.

"You made her carry that? It must weigh seventy-five pounds, at the most she weighs fifty!"

"I am in charge, Boy, not you! The servants do as I say. You expect me to do servants work?" He grumbled, and opened the lid on the box. A golden light shone from it, and he rummaged around inside, pulling out a piece of paper, and a few dark red, almost black, gems. "You leave her highness be, turn around and never come back. Here is your reward for doing so." He handed the paper and jewels to Link. "You now own the whole dark kingdom. Her highness will never miss it; she didn't even know she owned it." He paused. "Those jewels are worth about fifty thousand gold each. You have plenty to start your kingdom up now, build a nice palace, buy a few servant girls to entertain you... wouldn't you much rather have ten slave girls than one queen?"

Link dropped the items and drew his sword. "You are a horrible man, bribing me. I do love her highness, and no amount of money will make me leave. You can't make me leave. I am her chosen knight. You say she is like a daughter to you, but yet you sold her away like livestock!!! You are no father, you are a greedy fool." He held the sword defensively. "The way you speak of milady is dishonorable, and in my kingdom, words like that would result in death. I know your cultures are different, so I will let you live, this time."

The chancellor held his breath for a moment. "Our kingdom's ways are different than yours. What I say goes. She has no say in anything while I am alive."

Link scoffed. "I'll change that once I have a chance. I promise you that." He put his sword back in it's holster, and stormed out. The golden doors slammed behind him, making the Chancellor jump in surprise. The treasure box rolled from his hands, jewels spilled everywhere. He cursed in anger, and shouted for the servants to gather it up again.

"You dare threaten me boy? I am the chancellor, and you are nothing more than the queen's toy! The whole army will be after you, I promise you that, if you make one move against me."

Link was already gone, he hadn't heard what the chancellor said, but he wouldn't have cared anyway. He was much too angry. The chancellor had rubbed him the wrong way, with his dishonesty and lack of morals. He cared for the young queen dearly, and he wouldn't stand for her being treated like property. He stormed up the stairs, contemplating going in to Avalon's dressing room to talk to her. He decided against it. This could anger the chancellor more, add fuel to his fire. He would talk to the queen tonight. He headed back to his room, throwing open the door, and sitting on the bed, deeply bothered.

"Link, what's the matter?" Theo, the snifit who was Link's servant to begin with, and now was his friend, approached. Link was sitting on his bed, his head in his hands.

"This kingdom is corrupt! Your chancellor is an evil man. He tried to bribe me into leaving the princess's side. He is afraid she will marry me. He thinks I am after her money because she buys me gifts."

Theo hopped up on Link's bed and sat next to him. "I know it's a lie. You know it's a lie. Her highness knows it's a lie. The chancellor doesn't have too much longer as ruler. Once the chancellor finds her highness a king, he will be forced to retire."

Link hung his head. "So she has no say. He was telling the truth."

Theo blinked twice, confused. "Who was right? What's going on?"

Link stood up, and walked over to the mirror, and placed his sword on a nearby table. "The chancellor has found her king. This prince... paid the chancellor ten million gold for the princess's hand. The princess hasn't even met him. The chancellor told me that she has no say in whether she wants him to be her king or not. I find that unfair."

The snifit waddled up behind Link. "That's how the kingdom works. Her highness plans on destroying all of the corrupt laws once she is in charge."

Link sighed, and hung his head. "I need to do something, but I don't know what. The man who the princess is destined to marry is someone she doesn't even know. Every person deserves the chance to marry for love, and only love."

Theo glanced at the clock on the wall. The minute hand made a jerky movement, and chimed the half-hour mark. It was five thirty. "Master Link, get in the shower, and I will find you something knightly to wear. You only have one half hour 'til the dinner begins. I have thought of a plan that might work."

Link nodded. "I will not let her marry someone she doesn't love. If it must be then I will kill her king." Link went through the carved door and into his bathing room, where he slammed the door, and disrobed.

The shower cleared his head, and energized him. He was finally getting used to the shampoo and soaps the princess had in there. His shampoo was mint, and his soap was a scent he didn't recognize but it was manly. He shaved his face and rinsed it, shut off the water, and dried off.

He wore boxers, which he found odd, yet comfortable. This pair was a soft silver pair made of silken threads....

"Theo, what is your plan?" Link put on his green silk pants and a knee length matching karate robe with a golden sash.

"Her highness loves you. Dress your best and the rest will work out itself."

Link slipped his sword into the sash, and put on some black socks and slippers.

"I like this outfit. It reminds me of the ones I wore before I came here."

"This is similar to the knight uniform that her highness's father wore when he was warrior. Her highness prefers this outfit."

Link nodded. "Smart Queen we have."