Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda series, for it is owned by Nintendo.
Author's Note: I've been a member on for many years, since I was in elementary school. I've attempted to write before, both here and on but they were unsuccessful. I will now attempt to write a decent story, and I hope you will all enjoy it! By the way, when I write certain words differently, such as favorite as "favourite", these are not incorrect; it is just the Canadian spelling of these words, since I live in Canada. Anyways, enough small talk and on to the feature presentation…
Blue Hylian
The wind blew violently as the storm clouds slowly poured over Hyrule. The sound of billowing velvet muffled the ears of the cloaked figure, battling against the wind to mount the summit of the round hill. Slowly, but surely, it was done. Leaning against the high fences of what seemed to be an enclosed farm, the figured caught its breath for a moment before looking northwards.
There it stood; a raised spire of grey stone among a concrete sea. It was the proud home of Hyrule's monarchy. The castle was said to be built many centuries ago by the first declaration of the Kingdom of Hyrule, a dedication to both the royalty and the three great goddesses who have created this land of diversity.
Drip. A single droplet of rain has fallen on the mysterious figure's hand. It was only a matter of time before a horde of rain would break through the air and wet the dry land. Fitting the fabric tighter around the body, the billowing cloaked individual picked up its feet and made haste.
Chapter
1: Selene
"Excuse me, I wasn't done with that." The castle worker put down the soap-covered washcloth from where she picked it up.
"Sorry Selene, I was under the impression that you finished cleaning the counters," the young brown-haired castle worker replied, in her soft, yet slightly frightened voice. She moved towards the magnificent marble bathing basin and picked up a sponge and began to scrub the sturdy tub.
"Uh, Derya? I already cleaned the bath tub," Selene, irritated, said to the brown haired girl. Derya put the sponge in a nearby wooden bucket of water and stood up, stretching her fatigued limbs from all the manual labour.
"You know, I can see why you are Her Majesty's favourite attendant," Derya noted. Selene turned her head towards her while scrubbing the now-gleaming rose marble counter tops and raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?" she sceptically asked.
"Well, you know. You always do more than your fair share of work around here, and sometimes you even add a little something extra. Oh, that lavender oil you put in the potpourri in Her Majesty's bedroom this morning was so…so…I don't know, but it will sure spice things up when Link visits!"
"…don't talk about Link," Selene flatly interrupted, turning her face back towards her work. Derya simply let out a girlish giggle and clutched her apron in her work-worn hands.
"I find your little crush on Link so romantic!"
"What crush? There is no crush! Link is simply an acquaintance to me, nothing else!"
"Each time he visits the castle, you always put on your cleanest clothing with the lowest v-necks, and you wear your hair down."
Selene stepped towards the vanity desk, where an ornately bordered mirror stood. Looking into it with her sapphire eyes, she unravelled her hair from the tight bun. It was the oddest colour of hair that has ever existed in Hyrule, a shade of mint blue. People often stared at her when she was in town running her errands. When she was younger, the other children made fun of her, but now, at the ripe age of eighteen, her unique hue was looked upon as a gift from the goddesses.
"Doesn't my hair look a lot sexier this way?" Selene questioned, flipping her hair around whilst her eyes were locked upon her reflection.
"Well…yes, I guess it is," the more reserved Derya replied. The two girls returned to cleaning the bathroom till its pink marble surfaces gleamed in the light coming through the stained-glass skylight n the ceiling. They left the room and entered the bright, tall hallway, decorated with large, hanging tapestries depicting Hylian history. Selene and Derya carried their buckets of dirty water down to the castle's cellar.
Selene had been living in Hyrule castle as a servant for as long as she could remember. She had no parents or any family at all that she could relate to, thus she spent the majority of her free time with other servants who were specially admitted as attendants to Her Majesty Princess Zelda of Hyrule.
Selene was quite close with Zelda herself. It all began when they first met seven years ago, when the other children were rotten to her, all except Zelda, who was drawn to that brilliant blue hair. A friendship with the princess granted Selene a promotion to become her attendant, looking after Zelda's living quarters and possessions.
In Selene's opinion, she found Zelda too proper and dainty for her liking, but she was tolerable and would occasionally allow the princess to experiment any hairstyles or cosmetics on her. However, Selene refused to parade around the castle in such a manner, for her simplistic and outgoing nature needed not beauty, except at one occasion.
A couple times each month, Zelda's best friend from the forests would come and visit. Link, who was knighted five years ago by the King Harkinian of Hyrule for his proclamation as "Hero of Time" by the goddesses, was the same age as both Selene and the princess.
Since Selene became a close friend with Zelda, she was automatically a friend of Link's as well. Link was much more easy-going than Zelda was. She could see why they clicked as best friends. Zelda's high-maintenance and Link's nature as a relaxed pushover were magnetically attracted, just as they say, opposites attract. Selene enjoyed Link's company each time he visited, and to get a little more attention, she would always dress a little more attractive than her daily brown working dress and apron.
"Selene!" a familiar voice called from behind. Zelda's head stuck out from the door to her bedroom, her golden blonde hair in a complete mess. "I need your help, urgently!" Selene whipped her head around and handed Derya her bucket of dirty water.
"Don't freak on me, I'm coming, I'm coming…" Selene entered theroom of the princess and closed the door behind her as she spoke. "Okay, what is it?"
"I just had a conversation with my father; he wants me to attend the International Peace Ball s Hyrule's representative!"
"What? You're kidding me." Selene's mouth hung open as Zelda spoke. The International Peace Ball was one of the most significant events ever held. Ever since the great wars of the past that created the national boundaries, the ball was an oath to peace between all the world leaders. The most dignified monarchs from countries richer than one could ever imagine would be present.
"No, I'm serious! Father's illness is getting worse, it pains him to be standing for a while, and you know how his back gets…but he says that I am ready to begin taking on responsibility for Hyrule."
"Wow…that's huge for your first 'royal duty' or whatever it's called. I mean, your father prepares speeches and even brings along Impa!"
"My public speaking skills are fine, but alone I will become nervous in the presence of the kings and queens of exotic countries. I need someone to come with me! Oh, Selene, please come with me as support! I need you there!"
"Err…me? You want a maid…no, no, a servant, to go to the biggest event of the year with a princess?"
"Well…yes, but I wouldn't use those exact words-"
"Zelda, listen. You can't bring me, it will be totally wrong, I'm not noble or whatever. Besides, Impa wouldn't allow me to leave the castle if I have no errands to run in the market. You must understand that I have a different life than you do."
"I do, but-"
"No, take someone noble or important, someone that will look good in the name of Hyrule, someone, I don't know, get an army general or something, or-"
"Link!"
"Huh?"
"I'll take Link! Father would be pleased, since he did save us from this country's destruction. He's coming today, I'll ask him then!"
With an inner sigh, Selene simply nodded. She knew that Link and Zelda were close and she could tell that sometimes Zelda looked at him as a potential mate, but her recent interest in Link begged for Zelda to back off from him. It was not right for Selene, the cleaning lady, to be with the "Hero of Time", but the connection they shared was just too irresistible.
"Yeah, sure, Link. Yeah, he'll…he'll be great. Bring him."
"Perfect, perfect, I won't feel uncomfortable then!"
"Oh, hell no. C'mon, where is it held this year?"
"The Kingdom of Negotium."
"Oh yeah, that's the uh…that huge market country. The re built on buying and selling, as they all say. Well, hey, you get your own room in a nice hotel in a far away land. You know what? Forget about the speeches and formalities, just go there and party it up those few days before and after the ball. Hell, you won't even need Link!"
"No, Link will enjoy the luxury too! It will be much of a change from that tree house in Kokiri Forest. Thanks for the idea!"
"…yeah no problem."
Irritated at the idea that both Link and Zelda would be alone together in what only could be described as the middle of nowhere, Selene walked out of Zelda's room with a basket of laundry and stormed down the corridors and down the corkscrew staircase which led to the cellar.
The cellar of Hyrule's castle was quite versatile. Containing the living quarters of all of the castle's servants, it was much like a miniature underground community. On occasional nights, the cooks would bring down leftovers from banquets and gatherings, as well as a keg of wine, and then once the party upstairs is complete, the real party below begins. The guards never bother to check what goes on in the cellar since the servants are well trusted and well treated.
Apart from the bedrooms and facilities, the downstairs contained numerous laundry and washing hubs, as well as access to the gardens through sewage pipelines. These enormous sewers were once Selene's favourite place to relax when she was down.
Selene lay down the laundry basket in the laundry room and went and collapsed on bed in her bedroom, looking up and the wooden frames upon the ceiling. What was she to do about Link and Zelda away together? Were her feelings for Link even enough to be considered feelings?
Groaning at the knock on her door, Selene lifted her back off the bed, supporting herself by the arms.
"What do you want from me now?"
"Oh, is this a bad time!" Selene immediately recognized that voice. She got up quickly off her bed and looked around her room then looked at herself in that plain, wooden-framed, square mirror above her desk. "Uh, give me a minute!"
Grabbing a low-cut, grey velvet dress with a slim-fit waist from her tiny closet, she changed rapidly, throwing her dirty work dress in the miniscule compartment, shutting its wood door. Again, she looked in the mirror. Opening a cupboard in her desk, she grabbed a palm-sized glass vial. It was a gift from Zelda on Selene's sixteenth birthday, one of the numerous containers of make up the princess keeps.
Swiftly, yet evenly spreading the ivory cream around her face, Selene looked again, twice, she was complete. Puffing up her hair, and adding a sprinkle of rose water upon her chest, she laid herself upon her bed.
"Okay, come in!" she called out towards the entrance to her room. In walked in a blue-eyed, six-foot, well-built, fair haired man in the most ridiculous green Kokiri clothing. He walked in front of the bed, arms crossed, smiling.
"Selene, looking nice as always," he greeted her, nodding his head politely. She let out a small giggle and sat up straight. Link removed his triangular Kokiri hat and ran his fingers through is blonde hair. Both he and Zelda shared the same hair and eye colours, however, Link's hair was more of a corn colour as opposed to Zelda's head of golden locks.
"Anything new from the Kokiri, Saria, or the Deku Tree?" Selene asked while pouring him a glass of last night's wine, which just happened to be sitting in a jug on her desk along with two glasses.
"They're all great, everything's great, we're all just great." Selene, again, let out a girlish laugh, giving Link a glass of wine. She sat down on her bed while Link sat in the chair beside the desk. "Oh, I spoke with Zelda recently. Did you hear the news?" Selene nodded. "Well, she wants me to accompany her to the ball! Isn't that amazing! Well, we'll be gone tomorrow night. We're there on a boat through Zora River."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, it's the coolest or whatever. But enough about that, hey, let's go to the gardens, I need some natural light, these damn candles…I hate being all careful not to knock one over, pieces of crap."
Walking up again through the spiralling stairs, they walked towards the gardens. There was one spot, in particular, which they loved. Hexagonally shaped, it was walled all around with gateway arches on 2 sides. Stone-carved benches depicting the Triforce were placed in a far corner, between two weeping willow trees and a pathway adorned with evening lamps for night time meetings.
They entered the hexagonal grove and walked towards the benches. Who else were to be sitting there, but none other than Princess Zelda. She was wearing her traditional pink dress with the embroidered sash of the royal family's crest. Her hair was done in a manner that she had a small bun atop her head and the rest of her hair flowed down to her upper back.
Selene's mood plummeted as Link skittered to Zelda, abandoning her side. She sat across from them upon the lone, bare and cold, stone bench. It was common for her to assume that Link, Zelda, and she were a three, a tribe of three bonded friends, but it seems times have changed and with older age comes mature feelings. Selene often preferred to be alone with Link, and the same goes with the princess, which annoyed Selene beyond belief, especially this new behaviour that Zelda would perform whenever Link was around.
Loud laughter echoed against the high, stone walls as Zelda reacted to an anecdote she just shared. She placed her hand upon Link's chest whist in laughter, a casual gesture. However, Link's masculine hand has just found its way upon Zelda's dress-covered thigh. Selene irked an eyebrow at the show in front of her, and then simply laid on her back gazing up at the wispy cirrus clouds in the sky.
The sky's perpetual massiveness was always a wonder. It reminded Selene of the stories carved upon the marble tablets within the Temple of Time that she once saw whist in town. The graceful, gliding falcons circling high above the castle boundaries were hypnotic. Selene's eyelids began to feel heavy and then slowly, without struggle, closed.
Blue was all she could see, a mass ocean and eternal heavens meeting at a horizon. She could nearly smell the salty air around her and her suddenly scantily-clad body. Freedom. The feeling was refreshing and soothing.
"…Selene," she heard voices around her call out her name. "Selene. Selene."
Suddenly, with a blink, the glittering mass of water evaporated and her eyes were now gazing upwards at two blonde heads.
"Looks like someone was up too late partying," Link said softly to Zelda. She nodded in reply and then noticed Selene's half-open eyes and gestured Link to see.
"…wh…wha…what time is it?" Selene said with a stutter. She gazed passed Link and Zelda at the sky, now a darker hue. Link came closer towards her face and began to speak.
"It's late, and you seemed to have fallen asleep for a few hours."
"Link," Zelda interrupted, "stay here for the night, since the boat leaves tomorrow."
"I wasn't expecting this; I didn't bring a change of clothes or anything…"
"We'll take care of that, no need to worry. Remember what my father always tells you, 'Treat Hyrule Castle as your own home'. Oh, Selene, you won't mind washing Link's clothes tomorrow, will you?"
"…not a problem."
Author's Note: That was the first chapter and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing it! Reviews are well appreciated!
