Chapter 1

A Maid's Warning

Zelda sat in front of her vanity mirror, brushing her silken hair. She was the picture of beauty, with her bright, sparkling blue eyes, her milk-white skin, and her waist-long, thick golden locks. She had many a man swooning over her wherever she happened to go. There was one man, however, that had managed to capture her heart.

"My, but you look lovely today, Majesty!" One of her maid-servants fussed over her. Zelda rolled her eyes, and resumed brushing her hair, wincing as she hit a tangle.

"I just woke up, Martha," Zelda said sunnily, putting down the brush, and turning to her maid, "I look dreadful." It was Martha's turn to roll her eyes.

"You look lovely no matter what." Martha twitterred, raiding Zelda's closet. Zelda only laughed at her friend.

"You are forced to say that." Zelda stated, raising an eyebrow and folding her hands in her lap, "You would not say it half the time, if you weren't afraid of being beheadded for insulting me. I want your honest opinion. Not just about how I look, or how I conduct myself. Tell me.I want to know what you think of me." Martha frowned, as if debating whether or not to say something.

"Promise me, Princess," Martha whispered, and began to look frightened, "That you will not tell anyone of the things that I would say."

"You have my word." Zelda smiled reassuringly. Martha took a deep breath.

"I think no ill of you, Princess. I think you are the best thing that has happened to Hyrule, but..." Martha faltered, afraid of what she wanted to say.

"But what, Martha?" Zelda promted patiently.

"I think that... Some of your choices..." Martha took another deep breath, "Well... they aren't exactly... wise." Zelda laughed lightly.

"That's different." She traced the outline of the Triforce of Wisdom on the back of her hand, "No-one has ever told me that they think me un-wise. Which choices are you referring to?"

"Prince Starger of Misina is not a good man, Princess." Martha looked frightened just to be speaking his name, "I was under his personal employment. I've seen sides of him that aren't exactly... well... pleasant."

"Everyone has there bad sides, Martha." Zelda said sternly, indicating that the conversation was over. Turning back to her mirror, she eyed Martha as she continued to search for suitable day-wear.

"You wanted my honest opinion." Martha mumbelled, not looking up, "And when I gave you the facts, you could not handle them."

LATER

Prince Starger of Misina and Princess Zelda of Hyrule walked through the Palace Garden, hand in hand. They were in a sate of bliss, until a Misinan messenger hurried up to them.

"Gure Starger! Gure Starger!" The man bellowed in Misian, "Von ets creay gurd und Link feih eghd anshun!"

"Frigned!" Starger also bellowed, though much louder than the messenger, "'Link feih eghd anshun' frigned dure furgh dues dienque!"

"Link feih eghd anshun! Veway faieg vohg durgh!" The young man cowered before his Prince's wrath.

"Veway faieg, wragu!" Starger said menacingly. The messenger shook his head.

"Duy feon feque vogh. Gio pere swen quas unoi qure." The man seemed intimidated, and who could blame him? Prince Starger was an intimidating man. Starger nodded, seemingly infuriated. He turned to Zelda, who had not understood one word of the exchange.

"Zelda, my love," He began, "I must leave Hyrule for now. There is trouble afoot in my kingdom, and I must leave within the hour."

Zelda nodded in a defeated sort of way, and leaned in for a kiss. Once she had recieved one, she retreated into the castle, to watch him leave through her bedchamber window.

When she opened the door, however, she had realsied something. There was something not quite right about that conversation. Picking up a quill, inkpot and parchment, she copied the conversation word-for-word. When she was done, she called Martha in, and gave her the parchment. Martha read the writing with a furrowed brow.

"That's good to know." Martha said blandly, handing the parchment back to Zelda, "It was about time, too."

"No, no." Zelda demanded, "What does it say?"

"It says, basically, that Prince Starger will be in for it when he gets home." Martha smiled cryptically.

"What does it say!" Zelda demanded in a no-nonsense sort of voice, but Martha shook her head.

"I suspect you had best ask someone else. Prince Starger may tell you, if he returns." She looked Zelda square in the eyes, "If he does not survive, I will tell you."

If you want a translation of Starger's conversation with the messenger, leave your email adress in your review, and I will send you one.

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