Chapter 11

The chancellor shook his head and watched as Avalon and Link left the palace. Avalon hadn't taken much, just all of her jewelry and a few outfits, necessities to last a week at most. She planned to stay in the finest hotel in Toad town until the Chancellor gave in. At one thousand gold a night, she figured he wouldn't even notice the money missing.

Avalon stood in front of the mirror in the hotel and brushed her hair. Link sat on the bed and watched her. "You know what? I think you should tell all of your townspeople what happened. I bet they all have problems with the chancellor."

She tilted her head, and thought for a moment. "You know what? I think you're right." She sat next to him on the bed. "If he doesn't contact me soon, I will. I don't really like to cause problems but I will if I have to. I am destined to take the throne. I doubt any other ruler will treat my people as well as I will. I don't want to fight with him though..."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "He started problems, not you. Remember that. He's the one who started all of this. You're just trying to better this land, and protect yourself."

She nodded. "Yes Link, but two wrongdoing don't make it right. " She continued to brush her hair, as Link watched her, fascinated by her every movement. "Link, what's the matter? You never stare..."

"Can I brush your hair?" He questioned, hope in his voice.

Avalon felt a bit perplexed by his motive, but handed the brush to him anyhow. As he brushed her hair, he thought to himself. Maybe he could convince Avalon to buy a small farm. Maybe he could till the fields, and come in at night to see his wife. Maybe being away from the palace would help calm both of their nerves. He was sure the mere thought would horrify her. After all, she was royalty. She would not want to do peasant's work.

"Marry me, tonight." Link exclaimed, without thinking, as he put the brush in her hands.

"Tonight? Link? Are you feeling okay?" She asked, as she felt his forehead with the back of her hand.

Link pulled her hand away. "I feel wonderful, Avalon. I said tonight, and I meant tonight. Why not? We can have a small wedding, maybe just us and a minister."

Avalon blushed. "You're joking, thank the stars..."

Link took her hands, and nodded urgently. "I'm not joking! I mean it! Let's do it! I mean, I know I love you, and you know that you love me, right? Then why are we wasting our time? We can have a wedding in the town square here, everyone in town can witness it and you can tell them why the chancellor is not invited. You want the people on your side. That would be a good way."

Avalon looked away dreamily. "Or we could fly off to Delfino..."

He smiled brightly. "That's a rather good idea too. It's up to you. Either way, Let's get married tonight."

She stood up, and paced in front of the window. "Maybe we shouldn't. I mean... until last night, I didn't know I really and truly loved you. Darling, are we rushing things? What if we fight?"

"We won't fight. I don't fight unless it's an enemy, or a spar. I'm very pleasant, darling."

Avalon sat in the window seat. "Well, we still shouldn't get married tonight. It would make us look bad..."

Link was next to her now. "Avalon, darling, doesn't it look rather bad that we're staying in this suite together? The Queen and her Knight are staying in a suite with one bed, and they aren't married, Avalon. I bet the townsfolk are talking about your questionable actions right this moment. I bet if we got married they would think nothing of it."

Avalon looked down on the bustling, well-kept and clean town square. "I suppose you're right... and I do love you, so it won't hurt anything, right?"

He gave her a tight squeeze. "That's my girl. I sure love you..."

She smiled. "Now how are we going to pull this off... in one night..."

"I'm not sure how your weddings work here, but... in my world, the bride gets measured for her gown, and then wears it to the wedding. The groom purchases his bride a crown she will wear atop her head, and that's just about it."

"Well in my world, I buy my headpiece and my dress. You go get a tuxedo..."

Link smiled at her warmly. "I want to buy you your 'head piece...' it is a tradition in my family."

She hugged him, happily. "I'll let you, then." She announced with a smile. "Now, since that's settled," She pulled away from him, and looked out the window. "Hmm, I need to hire a decorator to do-up the town square, maybe the whole town... then, I'll find a caterer, a baker to make our wedding cake, and a minister. Maybe I should hire a few decorators...one might not be enough.... maybe ice sculptors too?"

He shook his finger. "Not too fancy. If it's too fancy the chancellor might show up. We don't want that. We just want word to get back to him, right?"

She nodded. "I agree with you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "If the chancellor showed up, it would be a catastrophe. Let's meet for lunch, let's say, in front of here, at noon?"

Link gave her a kiss on the cheek too. "Sounds wonderful to me." As Avalon left, he went through his wardrobe. He found things to pawn off to buy her a ring. He also decided to go see how expensive it would be to buy a two or three bedroom farmhouse, with indoor plumbing and the comforts of home, plus enough pasture for animals. He had a feeling it would be awhile until the Chancellor backed down, and he knew that the Chancellor was going to take away Avalon's use of the credit card.

Link looked over the house, pleased at his decision. It was a small, remodeled farmhouse, but he had mostly bought it for the large amount of fertile grassland, and the freshwater creek. The house itself was nice, but he knew Avalon would cry when she saw it. He could afford the house, with his belongings... He kept four nice outfits, and all six swords Avalon had bought him, knowing she would be upset if he sold off these.

He did sell off nearly all of the gems he had found while exploring his island near Delfino. He figured that with the two remaining shining green stones and the one blue, he could get a few cattle, some chickens, and supplies for the house. He would go back, fetch Avalon's two horses from the palace, and surprise her with them. That wouldn't be for a few more days. She had paid off a 3-night stay at the toad town hotel and they would reside there for a while.

Avalon wore the red dress with white spots, and all the accessories when she met him for lunch. The very same outfit she wore the day she had brought Link home with her from Delfino. He recognized the outfit, and smiled.

"I remember that outfit. It still looks wonderful on you."

Avalon beamed with happiness, and sprang at Link. He hugged her tightly, and kissed her cheek. "You don't need to keep flattering me. I already agreed to marry you." She announced, with happiness in her voice.

Link took her hands, and squeezed them lovingly. "You look happy. I never thought I'd see you like this again, after how much you cried last night, and this morning before we left."

"I'm happy, just to be with someone I care for this much. Soon we will be husband and wife, and hopefully, even sooner, we will be King and Queen again."

"You're so perfect." He tapped her nose lovingly. "How did I get so lucky?"

She blushed. "You didn't get lucky. I got us kicked out of the palace, and now we're peasants..."

"Love, let's consider this our honeymoon. Newlyweds always go somewhere new, right?"

"I guess so. I wanted us to go to Delfino, but the chancellor deactivated my charge card. I had to sell some jewelry to buy my dress. We're just going to have a decorator, no cake or anything..."

He kissed her cheek. "I get to go out to dinner with my beautiful bride tonight. I'm happy the Chancellor cut off your money supply." As they headed into the beautiful hotel, and up to their third story room.