Chapter Three

Zelda remained in bed, healing, for a week, though each night she came in to speak with me, and we shared the details of our respective days. Though the events of our days were few and far between- Zelda being bedridden and myself being confined to all but the most mundane activities, we somehow managed to talk late into the night each night. After nearly eight nights of this had passed, Zelda informed me that she was well again- well enough to learn archery, as it was.

"Are you sure?" I asked her, quite skeptical. Eagerly, the princess nodded, smiling at me. Before I could voice any more doubts, she spoke.

"I have it all figured out," she began. "On Goddessday, all the staff have the morning off. There's a small village outside the woods where they all go, to the market or to visit their families, so on. All the knights go out hunting, and the manor is relatively deserted. Deserted enough to allow us to practice in the yard, that is." Zelda giggled lightly and clapped her hands, smiling at me. "See? It's a perfect plan."

"Unless we're spotted," I stated blandly. "Or people wonder why both of us are remaining at the manor. People will think it's suspicious."

"Oh pooh." Zelda waved it aside, and smiled, nodding towards the window. "I'm sure he doesn't think so."

"He?" I turned to face the window, where I'd left one of my bags lying since the first night at the lodge. Instead of a bag lying on the seat, however, I saw a mirror image of myself sitting there, blowing his nose into a hanky. He looked absolutely miserable as he again sneezed into a handkerchief. I turned back to Zelda, impressed.

"I suppose that takes care of myself, and you're theoretically still hurt, but I ask you- what of the other knights? Rarely does the entire century go out hunting together."

"Well, it's just going to be one of those rare times, now isn't it?" Zelda smiled again sweetly, and the idea possessed me that I didn't want to know what she had in mind to manipulate all the knights into going. As I grew more and more accustomed to Zelda, I grew more and more wary of what her scheming mind could accomplish. Her heart was full of goodness, this I knew, but her mind was something to watch out for. Probably.

Zelda turned her head sharply suddenly, looking at one wall. Her eyes, though, went through it, beyond it, beyond anything I would ever perceive. She stood from the edge of the bed in a sudden, fluid movement, the glamour peeling over her, toe to head.

"Forgive me, Link," said Cyssa-Zelda, dropping a curtsy. "I've told my maids a thousand times that I am loathe to be disturbed at night, but for some reason tonight, they have decided to intrude on my chambers, and are working their way through the lock on the door." She scowled.

"Zelda," I said, my voice surprising me as I stood from the bed, taking her two hands in mine. She looked slightly startled, and then her fingers settled into my grasp comfortably.

"Yes?" Cyssa-Zelda asked me, turning her pretty blue eyes up to my own. Though the face wasn't hers, the eyes belonged to Zelda, through and through. I smiled.

"I enjoy your visits very much. If you may get in trouble for it, however..."

"The choice is mine to make," she responded with a kind smile. "Don't worry. I won't get in trouble. I have explanations and excuses, so don't worry. I enjoy spending time with you. I admit, this is the high point in my day."

That threw me. I did my best not to show it, and instead squeezed her fingers gently, and let her hands fall gently from my grasp.

"Tomorrow, then?" I asked Cyssa-Zelda, and she smiled, nodding as she walked to the door.

"I'll come get you when we're good. Good night, Link. Sleep well."

"And you," I stated, leaning against the doorframe and watching a sure-footed little maid make her way down the corridor. After she'd vanished around the corner I sighed, stepping back and shutting the door, and looking over at the window. The glamour of myself was still there, sneezing silently into his hankie. I stood and walked over to it, trying to decide what to do. All of a sudden, he put down his handkerchief and looked at me, my own pale eyes penetrating and more disconcerting than I'd ever thought they were. Suddenly, my double smiled and nodded, and vanished.

Zelda…

Up to her little pranks, as always, I thought, and suddenly wished Esten were there. We had an unusually strong bond, much like brothers. Esten and I could talk about anything- whenever either of us was lacking security of mind for any reason, we knew we could go to the other and enumerate upon every last detail, and get an honest response. Though this trait and bond was considered feminine by many of the other knights, it kept us sane in times of stress and hardship. And now, when I needed Esten to tell me that I wasn't crazy, he was nowhere around.

What would he say if he was, though…?

I undressed and crawled into bed, blowing out my candle and staring at the ceiling in the dark. If Esten had seen everything, heard everything, what would he tell me?

I could see him in my mind's eye, see him with his long dark brown hair that he kept neatly tied at the nape of his neck, see his square face and even smile and mischievous yet pondering dark blue eyes.

"Well, brother," he'd say to me after much contemplation that involved chewing his lip, because that was what he did when he contemplated things, "it sounds to me like you've gone and belly flopped into disaster."

"How so?" I asked him, tilting my sword to look down the polished blade. We were sitting in the courtyard, observing the rookies practicing. Esten shrugged one shoulder, the fabric of his brown tunic rustling a little.

"You, with your curiosity and good intentions, went and befriended the princess. But you got more than you bargained for in the princess and stumbled upon a wildfire when you'd expected no flame. So now you're confused and not sure what to do, but you're so intrigued to the princess that you can't pull away- and even if you could, you wouldn't want to, because there's something in the way that she is that makes you feel like somebody. It's like you'd do anything for her, even the stupidest thing, if she asked you to. You want her to be happy, this you know, though you're completely confused about yourself and what you should do. But you're going to stay by her anyway, even though you halfway think you're crazy for doing it."

It was as though he'd spoken out everything I'd ever felt and worried then, and it took the wind from me. "That's absolutely right. How did you know?"

Esten smiled one of those charming grins of his that he used shamelessly to his advantage to melt the hearts of anyone in his way. "Because that's how I feel about my Damleda. Link, buddy, you've fallen completely head over heels for the princess."

"Oh." I was oddly calm as we sat there, watching the rookies sweat. "So that's what it is, you think?"

"I know," Esten stated simply. "It's obvious you're crazy about her, even though you'd never admit it yourself. "

"I'm obvious?" I asked, scratching my neck. "Seriously?"

"To someone who knows you well enough, yes. Better be careful around the king," Esten added seriously. "I don't know how kindly he'd take to the idea of you being all mushy on his daughter."

"He'd laugh at me and say, about time, how could anyone not be in love with her." I exhaled, sheathing my sword. I stood up and paced for a moment, and then blurted out my secret. "I overheard the king and Zelda talking the other night. She made a bargain with him, asked for a hundred days to find someone she wanted to marry instead of being wed off to one of those crazed suitors of hers. And the king said yes. What if… do you think…"

I looked down, embarrassed to put my thoughts aloud. "What if she chooses me to marry her?"

"Could you deny her?" Esten asked me. I shook my head, though my heart was thudding in my chest. Esten exhaled, nodding slightly. "I see. Link, I'm going to warn you. The princess has shown herself to be fickle- I think you would agree. And dozens of men are vying for her heart and hand. You mustn't let it crush you if she chooses another. It just means that things weren't meant to be between you."

"I know," I replied quietly. "I hope… I hope that whatever choice she makes, she is happy."

Esten smiled at me, standing as well and walking next to me and clapping my shoulder.

"No worries, brother. You have three months."

"Three months…" I repeated. "Yes, I suppose I do."

"Anything can happen," Esten added, and I nodded my agreeance.

"You're right, Esten. Let's not think about this now and just take things as they come."

"Atta boy." Esten squeezed my shoulder and then let go. "Feeling any better?"

"Much," I replied, exhaling and smiling. "Thanks, Esten."

He smiled that even little smile at me again, exposing a line of perfect, white teeth. "Not a problem, brother."

The courtyard melted away into the ceiling of my light flooded chambers, my clothes transforming on my skin to sheets wrapped around me. Where Esten had been there was a grinning face, a woman's face. Zelda's face.

"Huh?" I stuttered stupidly. I didn't even remember falling asleep. "What do you want?"

"It's time for you to wake up, Mr. Knight," she stated merrily. "Archery lessons are today."

"Where is everybody? Are they all already gone?"

"Yep," Zelda stated, nodding her head slightly. "And don't worry, nobody even bothered you. They came in once, and saw that you were out like a light, and figured that you still needed your rest or whatever. So we're fine! We don't even need the glamour."

"Oh." I blinked a few times, and then suddenly realized that I was naked under the sheets. "Err, Zelda…"

"Hmm?" She was idly poking my shoulder, wholly oblivious.

"Can you get out so I can get dressed?"

"Huh?" She blinked twice, and then grinned at me, standing. "Alright. Sorry, I wasn't even thinking about it. I assumed you were wearing trousers or something."

I blushed crimson. "No, no trousers. Go on, I'll meet you down in the yard in just a few minutes."

"Alrighty then." Zelda tossed me a last flirtatious smile and swept out of the room, the door snapping smartly behind her as she exited. I leaned my head back in my pillow, exhaling, waiting for a few moments until I got up. How incredibly embarrassing… but Zelda didn't seem to mind. But it was so… indecent. If anyone ever found out, anyone at all…

As I dressed, I recalled Zelda's words of last night: "it's my choice to make." So if she wanted to ruin her reputation, that was perfectly fine.. but did she really have to drag me down with her?

Yes, a little voice said deep within me. She's latched onto you and is clinging to you as though to driftwood in a raging river. Wild as she may be, she needs you.

But then I forced the voice into silence and finished clothing myself in a simple loose tunic and trousers. Tapping on my boots, I wandered from my room through the mansion, down and out into the yard, where Zelda was waiting. She hadn't noticed my presence yet, and so I simply stopped to watch her for a moment. A tabby cat, one of the mangy creatures kept around the manor for hunting vermin, wound itself around her ankles. A tender smile on her lips, she leaned down and scratch underneath the much-ignored cat's chin. It closed its eyes and began to purr, a loud rattling I could hear all the way over where I was. It ducked its head, scraping its cheek against Zelda's leg, and she laughed aloud. She knelt and scooped the cat into her arms, hugging it to her body. It looked up with playful eyes, batting at a strand of her hair. Its claws, however, were out, and as I watched, it made a neat, razor-thin slice across her cheek. Zelda frowned, and then smiled at the cat again, patting it gently on its head and setting it down.

At the sight of the claw scraping against precious skin, I'd rushed forward. Zelda turned to face me, and I saw the faint trickle of blood flowing down her cheek.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, searching for a kerchief.

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile. "Sweet cat. It didn't mean to scratch me. That did hurt, though…." She winced and made a face, and in all my fumbling, I somehow managed to find the kerchief. I began to carefully daub at the blood that was slowly trickling down her cheek, staunching the slow, rolling flow.

"You really don't have to do this, you know," she stated unnecessarily as I carefully patted away the blood. "I'm fine, honestly."

Her muscles were relaxing: I could see it.

"I mean, I don't want you getting the idea that I'm a helpless female who is weak and can't tolerate pain or do anything for herself. Past week and a half, I've probably given you that impression."

"You haven't," I said, fixating my eyes on the gash in her beautiful skin. "If anything, you've completely terrified me with how not-dependent you are."

"But you make it sound like a bad thing," Zelda said, flopping one arm.

"Anything can be a bad thing if you look at it just so. It's a thing and that's what counts."

I heard her sigh, frustrated. "You're impossible. Oh, Link, just leave it."

"It'll get infected," I stated irrationally. Zelda gently pushed me away, smiling.

"No it won't," she replied simply, and as I watched in amazement, a new skin grew over the small gash, leaving nothing. I gaped.

"More magic?" I finally asked. Zelda nodded, still smiling, but there was something strange in her eyes. A spark of her usual energy had gone out.

"More tiring than glamours," she stated plainly. "It's a sort of form of telekinesis, sort of, and not illusion. Actually moving or changing something requires tremendous amounts of energy. That's why," she said, answering my question before I could voice it, "I didn't do anything in the ravine the other day. I couldn't. It would have knocked me out cold for at least a day, which would have been worse, I think."

I nodded, my mind immersed in this new fact about magic, Zelda, everything. The princess suddenly clapped her hands, though, jerking me out of my thoughts, and beamed at me, that extra energy of hers back, mostly. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"Right," I said, and walked away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Zelda asked. I turned and grinned at her over my shoulder, replying, "to get you a bow and arrows!"

"Oh." Her cheeks were tinged pink, I could see it even from the distance that I was at. I entered the manor, trotted along to the armory, grabbed the least advanced bow I could find, a quiver of arrows, and after much thought, an old musty cow hide, and trotted back out and to Zelda, the cow hide flapping behind me ridiculously.

"What's that for?" She asked me as I halted in front of her, dropping the bow and arrows.

"A target," I replied simply, hanging it over a branch. "I doubt we'll get far enough to using it as a target today, but you never know."

"Then what will our targets be?"

"For now, trees," I replied simply. Zelda looked like she was torn halfway between laughter and protest, but I stooped to pick up the bow and handed it to her. With slight trepidation, she took it.

"This is your stave," I said, tapping the top of the bow. "Below that is the nock, where your string attaches. This curved part here above the handle is the upper… Zelda, you're holding it upside down."

"Whoops," she stated, blushing and turning it around. "Sorry."

I grinned at her, shaking my head. "It's okay. I did that first time too. Anyway, this curved part is the upper limb. What you're holding onto is the grip, also known as the handle. This is the back of the bow," I pointed, and then ran my finger along the inside of the bottom of the curve of the bow, "and this is the belly. Below that is the lower limb, the nock, and the stave. Do you have that?"

"Um…" Zelda looked at it for a moment, and then smiled. "Yes. Stave, nock, upper limb, grip, back, belly, lower limb, nock, stave…"

"And string," I added, plucking the bow string so that it gave off a nice, resonating twang.

"And string," Zelda agreed with a nod. "But how do you tell which side is up?"

"It's flatter on the bottom where the belly and the back are, do you see? And also, up here on the grip, it's flat where you nock your arrows. So, got that?"

"Yeah," Zelda said, staring intently at the belly.

"This is your arrow," I said, drawing one from the quiver and holding it for her in two hands. "There's that little bit at the back where you attach it to the string. That's the nock. The feather part is known as the fletching. From there, you have the shaft, and at the end, the tip. Sometimes the tip is coated with a metal to make it sharper, but these are just whittled, do you see?"

"Yeah," she said, bending close to the arrow to have a better look. One wanton tendril of hair that had escaped its braided prison brushed my hand. I tried not to shiver.

Zelda straightened back up, smiling. "Okay. I've got it. Nock, fletching, shaft, tip. That's not to hard."

"No, it isn't," I stated, looking around. "But learning is. We're going to practice without arrows for a minute, okay?"

"Okay," Zelda stated, watching as I dropped the quiver. "So I should just… try it out, then?"

"In a way. Are you left or right handed?"

"Right," Zelda stated, fisting and flexing the fingers on said right hand. I nodded. I myself was left-handed, but could shoot either way.

"Okay then. Take the bow in your left… you're holding it upside down again, that's okay," I stated as she turned another lovely shade of pink. "You're still learning, it's okay. Extend your left arm out in front of you and a little towards the center of your body. Good. Grip the bow tightly, just like that, yes. Now, with your right hand, grip the string with your first two fingers… higher, higher, yes, right there. That's where your arrow will be mounted. Now pull the string back, try and touch it to your cheek…."

"This is difficult," she squeaked as she pulled back the string.

"I know, it is hard at first. You'll get used to it in no time, though. Alright, now aim, I'll teach you do to that in a bit… and let go."

Zelda let go of the string and it twanged, snapping against her left forearm. "Ouch!"

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you. It does that…"

"This is painful," Zelda stated, looking between her left forearms and the tips of her first two fingers on her right hand, which had welted red from the string. "Really painful."

"Do you want to go and get gloves, and I'll find you an arm guard?" I asked, wondering at myself for trying so hard. Zelda nodded, and we agreed to meet back in five minutes' time. I set off for the armory again, grabbed an arm guard that looked like it would fit her, and sauntered back to our designated practice area. Zelda had been right in choosing Goddesday morning, I thought. The whole manor was completely deserted.

Whistling an old folk tune to myself, I hopped down the steps and out into the practice yard. Zelda was nowhere in sight. Still carrying my little tune, I picked up her bow and grabbed an arrow, nocked it, and pulled it back to my cheek. I looked at the cow hide and decided no, too easy. I looked up and down the length of the tree, and finally spotted a little knot some way up. Hardly pausing to think, I aimed and let go. The arrow sliced through the air, soaring true to its target. With a thud, it pierced through the dead center of the knot, vibrating slightly from its sudden impact. I heard clapping and I turned, ceasing my whistling. Zelda was standing there, her hunting gloves slung over her shoulder, left one half on.

"I must look like a complete idiot to you," she stated, finishing up with her left and gloving her right.

"Not at all," I replied easily, grinning. "You look like someone who is learning something new for the first time. There's a difference."

"Of course," Zelda stated wryly. I picked up the arm guard from where I'd tossed it at my feet, brushed it off, and handed it to Zelda, who slipped it over her left arm, tightening the thongs.

"It's a little loose," she grimaced once she'd gotten it all the way tight.

"It'll serve our purposes," I replied, and beckoned her over to me. "Let's practice a bit more before we start with arrows. Oh, I forgot. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart or so, a comfortable distance, almost perpendicular to where you want your arrow to go. Ah, here's your bow."

"Thank you, Link," Zelda chirped cheerfully, smiling. "So, like this?"

"That's perfect," I stated with a grin. "Go ahead and draw."

She pulled the string back, and let go. It snapped against the arm guard as it went, and Zelda smiled, obviously glad that hadn't been her skin again.

"Good," I stated. "Very good. You're a quick learner. Now let's try it with arrows. I'm going to help you the first time, just so you can get the feeling for what it's like, and after that, you're on your own."

I drew an arrow out from the quiver, slinging it back across my back, and handed it to Zelda. "Nock the arrow into the string. Good. Let it sit on that flat part there… yes, just like that. Now pull it back…"

Zelda did so, and I carefully put my arms around her, my left over her left, my right over her right, the bare fingers of my hand against the texture of her leather gloves. She started slightly but then relaxed.

"Good," I said in her ear, helping her to aim. "Now, look. I'm pointing where we want the arrow to go with my left hand, see? Where do you want to shoot?"

"Where you shot your arrow," she replied, her voice soft.

"Alright. Go ahead and line up the target…" she lined it up, though she was slightly off. With the lightest pressure, I guided her to where the arrow would shoot. "You have to aim a bit up." I pulled the string back just a bit more, my thumb brushing against Zelda's cheek. "Ready?"

"Ready," she replied, almost inaudibly. As one, we let go of the string. The arrow flew up to the knot and thudded in, nestling comfortably just below the first.

"Good job," I told Zelda. "Do you sort of see how that goes?" Kind of?"

"I think so," she replied, looking from the bow to the arrow so high up. I patted her on the shoulder.

"Good. Now, I was helping you, so I don't expect your aim to be that good every time. It takes a lot of practice, and practice is what we're going to be doing. We'll start with the tree. Let's get a bit closer."

"Closer to the tree?" Zelda asked, looking at it. "But it isn't that far away…"

"But you're just learning," I mimicked her. "Come on. Tree."

"Fine," she sighed, grumpy. I grinned, shaking my head, and settled seven feet from the round oak tree, roughly the same size around as the king, or so went my guess..

"Now, go on then..." I handed her an arrow, and she nocked and aimed. "Remember to point and aim a bit up. Relax your shoulders more. Feet, good… Fire when ready."

The first arrow she fired just barely missed. Her face was a mask of bitter disappointment- "but it's so close!"

"It's okay," I comforted her. "Learning, remember? Keep trying, you'll get it."

She got it on her third try. From there, we took steps back, slowly increasing the space between Zelda and the tree. After nearly an hour, Zelda was exhausted. I went to fetch all the arrows we'd shot, allowing her reprieve.

"We're going to stop for today," I stated, pulling down the unused cow hide and looking up at the two arrows in the knot of the tree. "And we're going to leave those arrows."

"Why?" Zelda asked, looking up at them. I grinned at her, depositing the many arrows in the quiver. I'd whittle them back into shape tonight.

"To inspire you," I stated, helping Zelda to undo the thongs on her arm guard. "If we get in a lot of work, you might be able to hit that by the time we leave the manor. Maybe. But we'll have to figure out a way…"

"Afternoons, perhaps," she stated. "When we get back from the hunts, and everybody's- ow!" She gave a slight hiss of pain as she pulled her right glove off.

"Oh, Zelda, I'm so sorry! I forgot!"

"It's okay, Link. I really don't use it. It just got pulled a little getting this stupid glove off…" She glared at her still-purple finger, and sighed. "What a waste of a good digit."

"Let's go get some lunch and go on a picnic," I offered suddenly, hoping to distract Zelda from her broken finger. "Pilfered from the kitchen. You know." I grinned and she smiled, shrugging.

"Alrighty then."

Zelda and I walked together back inside, dropping the bow and arrows in the foyer, and grabbed some food, which Zelda tied up in a scarf produced out of nowhere. We walked out of the manor and into the woods a small way, and I looked around, recognizing where we were.

"Here," I said, taking her hand and leading her through the forest. "I found this place last time we came hunting here a few months back. It should be… aha."

There was a little circular copse of trees, and in the center, a small clearing. We took up residence on a fallen log, Zelda unpacking the lunch of venison and some fruit.

"How did you find this place?"

"Esten- my friend- and I were out riding and I stumbled upon it. Pretty, isn't it?"

"It is," Zelda agreed, taking a bite of an apple. She slipped into thought, brooding thought, like the flicker I'd seen the first night at dinner as she'd gazed into the campfire. This, however, did not pass. We ate in silence- myself taking in the surroundings and relaxing, leaving Zelda to her thoughts. If she wanted to tell me, she would tell me. If not, there was no use forcing it out of her- the princess, I had learned, was stubborn as a mule.

I finished my food and, noting that Zelda had also finished her meal, stood. I held my hands out to Zelda- she grabbed them gently but did not stand.

"Link, it must be nice to be able to marry for love."

"I suppose," I stated carefully, gently coaxing her to her feet. She kept a tight hold on my hands, however, even as she only stood a few inches from me. She lowered her eyes, allotting me a lovely view of her dark lashes, astounding with her fair hair.

"Do you not have a lady waiting for you back at the palace?" she asked me. I sighed.

"No," I replied. "I'm afraid that none of them have ever caught my fancy. Why? What's wrong?" I knew what was wrong- or at least, I had a good guess.

Zelda surprised me by flinging her arms around me and burying her face into my chest. She began to babble into the fabric of my tunic and I cocked my head so as to better hear her muffled confession.

"…and the chances of that are slim to none, but I don't want to marry a man I can't love but I hardly have much of a choice, Hyrule comes first and I come second, but oh Link, you have no idea how stressful this is, they're all terrible men and Hyrule will be a wreck and where will I be because none of them are right for me and it's just such a mess, I wish I could live like you, free to marry who I want…" She shuddered and her words stopped, and a moment later I felt warm wetness seeping through my tunic. She was crying.

"I'm just so frustrated."

"It's okay, Zelda," I said, wrapping my arms around her and shushing her gently. As she cried, I stroked her hair, murmuring comfort to her. "It'll be okay. Everything will be fine. I'll watch out for you, Zelda, I promise."

She looked up at me, sniffling, eyes rimmed red. "You promise? Even if you fall in love with some… some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids?"

"Especially if I fall in love with some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids," I replied with a little smile. "Though I must say, if I wound up siring fifty billion children, I think my wife would kill me."

Zelda let out a choked laugh and burrowed back into my tunic, breathing deep, calming herself down. I continued to rub soothing circles on her back, resting my cheek atop her hair. I'd never really realized how tall I was or how short Zelda was until this- holding her in my arms, the top of her head barely came up to my chin. I breathed deep the scent of her, relaxing, being there for her- her comfort, her protector, her loyal knight. And still her words danced around in my head… "even if you fall in love with some… some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids…"

The idea of just going off with some girl was empty to me- falling in love with 'some girl' and marrying her and having children by her held no emotion for me. Some girl would not do- not when I could be near Zelda. Zelda intrigued me and confused me, and made me want to be a better person myself for her. I didn't know why, though… I'd only known her a short time, and already the thought of life without her was a bleak thought indeed.

I sighed. I'd talk to Esten about it when I got back to the castle. Esten… he'd been in my dream, hadn't he? Saying something… but I couldn't recall what…

Zelda shifted and pulled back, jerking me from my thoughts. I let go, but she remained clinging to one of my hands as though it was the last thing holding her on the face of the world. She smiled blearily at me, sniffling a little, and all of a sudden her red-rimmed eyes and pink-tipped nose vanished.

"We need to get back," she stated, looking much like herself, save for that lack of sparkle in her eyes. "The servants will be arriving home soon to fix supper for the knights."

"Of course," I said, walking over to the scarf and remnants of our food, tying them up and knotting themto my belt.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry that?" Zelda asked, slipping her hand back into mine. I grinned down at her, being the pillar, her comfort.

"What kind of knight would I be if I let a lovely lady like yourself carry something as heavy as a scarf?"

Zelda laughed again and pleasure purred within me. We walked back to the manor in comforting silence, breaking our bonded hands as we entered sight. I turned to Zelda for a moment-a thought had just struck me.

"What of your ladies? Surely they wouldn't leave you alone all day?"

"Of course they would," Zelda replied, flipping her warrioress's braid over her shoulder, much more back to normal by now. "They didn't want to come to this 'goddess-forsaken' place anyway. I told them to go on and take the morning off, since I'd dragged them. They were more than happy to comply." Zelda grinned wryly, and then her face turned slightly more serious.

"Thank you, Link. I ask so much of you and you ask for so little in return."

"What are friends for?" I asked her, smiling. She grinned as well.

"Bending over backwards and getting nothing in return. Thank you, Link."

"Not a problem," I replied, and merrily, we made our way into the manor.

It was still empty inside, which was good- it gave me time to stash the bow, hide, and arm guard back in the armory, and take my arrows up to my room. Zelda, on the other hand, immediately hurried off, to "make herself presentable." When I saw her at dinner that night, she was resplendent in a simple blue gown as she sat and spoke with her father all through dinner. I sat alone, but comfortably so and thinking the whole time. After dinner, I went to my room and sat for a while, and then Zelda appeared, as usual. We talked about nothing for nearly an hour, and then she bid me goodnight.

Lying in bed, I couldn't get to sleep. My mind roared and tumbled through thought. Zelda, Zelda, Zelda. Obviously, I couldn't live with her- she threw my whole ordered, predictable life into utter chaos, but it wasn't like I could live without her, either- without Zelda, everything would be winter, colorless, bleak, cold.

I would have to sit down and have a long talk with Esten back at the palace. Yes, I decided. That was exactly what I would do. He would solve everything.

Next thing I knew, I was out like a light.