Zelda's mother always said that despair was an opportunist. As a child, the blonde never knew what that meant. But as an adult, watching things crumble around her, she understood more keenly than she wanted to dwell on.
The warm, solid arms of her boyfriend around her were enough to help ground her, at least for a time. The footage on the news continued nonstop while the fire crews worked to put out the flames. The building didn't collapse, but there wasn't a single office left untouched.
Someone is targeting you. That's what Azzy had said when she called to tell them the news. That thought alone was enough to send a shiver down Zelda's spine. Someone was targeting her… or at the very least they were going after Link through her. But for what purpose?
"Zel?" Link's voice was quiet in her ear. "Are you alright?"
"Not at all." She stared unseeing at the television screen. "It's the weekend… Very few people are in the offices, so they weren't out to hurt anyone. Burning the law offices could only serve one of two purposes. To send a message… or to try and destroy documents related to a case that we're actively working on."
Link's grip around her waist tightened. "Do we need to go back to Kakariko tonight?"
"For what purpose? The office is still smoldering. They won't let anyone in. Anything I could accomplish there could be done here too." Zelda sighed. "We can't even take time away without something coming up."
Link brushed a kiss on her cheek instead of replying. Zelda let herself sink backwards against his chest so they were both lying flat on the bed.
"The stakes are getting higher, and I see no end in sight. Everything seems to have fallen to pieces ever since we met. I cannot help but feel that I've been a harbinger of disaster for your life," Zelda admitted. Her throat tightened as she thought back over all the challenges that had arisen.
"Zel. You can't blame yourself. You weren't the reason why my father died. Or why Champions is being targeted for purchase. You had nothing to do with those. And I'm willing to bet that the law office burning had nothing to do with you specifically either. There's a lot of sick, twisted individuals in the world that are out there to make other people's lives difficult, and they've chosen us for some reason." Link held her against his chest. "None of this is your fault."
A pair of tears rolled down Zelda's face. "And yet I'm utterly powerless to stop it. I feel so useless. I have nothing apart from a hunch that Ganon is somehow connected to the fire, to the cocaine and your father's death… Without solid proof, nothing can be done."
"Don't give up, Zel. We will get to the bottom of this, one way or another. You're too good of a lawyer to give up just because the odds are stacked against you." Link rolled over to look her in the eye. "I did my homework too."
"Homework? What do you mean?"
"On you. On your case style, and how you handle yourself. You never told me that you completed your law degree in half the usual time, and passed the bar on your first try. Impa was beaming with pride when she told me."
"W-what?" Zelda's face flushed with embarrassment. "You talked to her about me? When?"
"During one of your long court days when I had a break at the shop. I wanted to better understand you and your job. I didn't mean for it to be a secret that I had spoken to her. I'm honestly surprised that she didn't tell you." Link let out an awkward laugh and rubbed the back of his head.
"No. She did not. I suppose she never had the opportunity. We haven't spoken at length in quite some time, despite sharing office space."
Link was quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "Zel. What's the theory you had? You told Tuft that you had a theory but no evidence. It's the connection of Ganon to the drugs, isn't it?"
"It is. And if we can prove that, then it may be plausible to prove that he, or one of his employees, may have been the reason why your father ingested the cocaine and ultimately died because of it." Zelda stared into his deep, trusting blue eyes. "I have no proof. Only a gut feeling that it's all connected. And the closer we get to uncovering the truth, the more obstacles will stand in our path."
"So be it. Dad raised me to never give up, no matter what stood in my way. I'm not going to be bullied by Ganon Dragmire, or anyone else," Link vowed.
Zelda brushed his sideburns out of his eyes and gently kissed his forehead. "I know. Thank you, Link. For not giving up. For staying strong through everything."
He let out a slight scoff. "I'm not that strong. You've seen more of my weaknesses in the last weeks than I care to admit."
"But you're still fighting," she insisted. "You're still doing everything you can for the people you care about. That takes great courage, Link."
"I suppose," he conceded.
Zelda opened her mouth to continue arguing her point, but Link's phone rang, interrupting their thoughts. "You should get that."
He rolled over and grabbed it off the nightstand. His brow furrowed when he saw the number, but he answered anyway. "This is Link."
Zelda watched his face slip into the emotionless mask he used when he was working. She chewed her lower lip nervously while he listened to the caller for a long moment.
"I see. What do you have in mind?" He lifted a finger to stay the question on her lips. "Daruk's tomorrow at ten. I'll be there. Count on it. Thank you for the call."
"Who was that?" Zelda couldn't help but ask as soon as he hung up. "You looked so serious."
"It was Mar, the last client Dad spoke to before he passed. She said she had something important to tell me. We're meeting tomorrow morning at ten."
Zelda's stomach twisted. "Call me overly cautious, but seeing as how your father shared a meal with her before he was hospitalized, I would strongly suggest you don't order anything while you're at Daruk's."
Link shook his head. "They weren't able to determine the source of the cocaine. Several dishes from the restaurant tested positive for it. They questioned all of the staff, and the patrons that night, but didn't find anything conclusive."
"All the same… I would like to be with you, if you'll allow it."
"I don't see why not. She didn't say to come alone or anything. If she would prefer to have privacy, you can always sit across the cafe for a bit." Link flashed a small smile. "Daruk wouldn't have a problem with that either."
Zelda snorted out a laugh. "He'd commandeer my attention at the bar as long as I would allow him to. Or until his assistant scolds him for not working on the food he's supposed to be preparing."
"In any case, that gives us a timeframe to be heading out tomorrow. I wanted to stay longer, but that choice has been taken out of our hands." Link sighed and sat them both up, still keeping his arms wrapped around her waist. "So, how do you want to spend the evening?"
"Dinner, a walk on the beach, then sleeping in your arms." The words rolled off her tongue easily. "I want to just forget everything for a few hours… if that's even possible anymore."
"We'll make it happen. Even if it means silencing our phones for the night." Link kissed the side of her neck. "We had something to finish discussing too, if I recall correctly."
Zelda wracked her brain, trying to recall what he was referring to. Then it hit her. "The dancing thing."
"Yes. I would like your thoughts on that more fully," he said quietly.
She nodded, not trusting herself to voice what she was thinking at that moment. It was a lot. Too much all at once, if she was being honest with herself. But this wasn't a decision they were being given the luxury of taking much time to discuss. Urbosa wanted an answer by Monday, and the weekend was nearly half-over already.
"You look beautiful." Link's sincere words brought her out of her head.
A blush covered Zelda's face and she ducked her head out of reflex. "Thank you. I don't think I'll ever get used to that."
"I hope you don't, so I have the opportunity to remind you over and over again."
The red deepened before she could help it. "Link!"
He chuckled and drew her right hand to his lips. "What can I say beyond 'I love you?' Life may be a lot to handle right now, but I'm really thankful that I'm going through it with you."
Zelda felt her chest tighten even as his gentle lips brushed against the back of her fingers. How had she become so fortunate as to be with a man who cared as much as Link did? Sure, he had his faults and weaknesses. He had made some mistakes, ones that he owned up to, and was doing his best to rectify. If anything, she had to commend him for his courage and willingness to do the right thing in the wake of his mistakes.
Now he was asking her to help him make a decision about the future. His future. No, their future. Together. About whether or not he would continue dancing at Champions. It was something he had chosen to do for several years, and he was skilled at it. Enjoyed it even, at times. But he would give it up for her sake.
"Zel?" Link's voice held a bit of concern. "I've said your name three times now. What's on your mind?"
Her first instinct was to lie and tell him it was nothing. But logic caught up to her before the words could pass her lips. "I was thinking about the decision that needs to be made."
"Ah. Perhaps we can discuss that over dinner?"
She shook her head. "No, I'd rather talk about it now, so we can focus on other things during our meal."
"As you wish." Link shifted to sitting cross-legged in front of her. His shirt was open, allowing her full view of the muscular chest and the tattoo peeking out on his ribs.
How many women had seen him and lusted after him? A twinge of jealousy twisted her stomach. She had no right to be jealous. After all, she had been one of them originally too. Until he decided to pursue her.
"Why are you considering quitting?" she found herself asking. "Please tell me it's not entirely for my sake."
LInk shook his head. "No. It's a thought that I've had periodically for a while but never dwelled on it. Crossed my mind every time I encountered an overly amorous patron or someone who wanted to harm me.. But since things happened with my dad, and that freak threatened me with a knife, it got me thinking… About what I wanted to do with my life, and what I wanted to be known for."
Zelda was quiet, fidgeting with her fingernails in her lap. They needed a trim, she thought idly. "What did you figure out?"
"That I wanted to be known for integrity and the shop that Dad worked hard to build and maintain. I can't do that if I'm constantly juggling two jobs. I don't need the money from Champions. I've set aside more in savings than I'll need for years, even with the funeral expenses and the repairs needed on the shop." Link looked at her. "I enjoy dancing. Don't get me wrong. But I also know that it can't be easy on you to know that I'm an object of lust for so many people. Even if the original reasons for doing it were done with the best of intentions."
Zelda took a deep breath and reached over to hold his hand. "I won't deny that part of me is bothered by it. But then I remember that I was once one of them too, and that makes me no better than they are. Despite that, I'm convinced that whatever we do in life, we should have the ability to make our decisions after weighing the pros and cons. If we're to be together, which we have decided to be, at least for the time being, then it's my desire to support your decisions, not affect them in one particular way or another."
Silence fell for several long minutes while Link mulled over her words. Then he leaned forward and gently claimed her lips in a tender kiss.
Zelda felt the warmth of his caress clear down to her toes. Her face was blushing deeply when his fingers slipped into her hair, softly keeping her close to him. "W-what was that for?" she asked when he reluctantly pulled away so they could catch their breath.
"For supporting me. You've been the one constant in my life that I can rely on recently, and that means everything. I'm going to tell Urbosa that I appreciate all she's given me, but I'll be concluding my time at Champions by the end of the month. It will be up to her what she decides to do from there."
Zelda shifted to hug him tightly, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm proud of you for taking the steps that you are to take care of yourself. And if it's any consolation, you can dance for me anytime," she added as a light tease.
There was a momentary pause before Link began to chuckle. "Is that an offer, or a request for me, Princess?"
Zelda's blush deepened and she buried her face against his chest. "B-both, I suppose? The offer's on the table."
"How very generous of you. I always knew that a lawyer would bring a generous offer to the table." Link lightly brushed through her hair with his fingers. "I would love to dance for you without cameras or an audience. I'm sure that you'll have a better reaction than the first time I gave you a private dance, at Mipha's bachelorette."
Zelda let out a faint gasp and pulled back to stare into his eyes. "You heard me?"
"Of course. It was arousing to hear your soft gasps, and feel the tentative touch on my hip. I don't often get aroused doing dances like that… but with you, I wanted that dance to be special. I just tried to ensure that you didn't see just how much it affected me. It wouldn't be considered professional." Link touched the tip of her nose with a fingertip. "But yes. I would love to give you a repeat of that, with the ending I imagined instead of merely leaving you hot and bothered, dreaming of the Hero."
"Did Fae give you–" Zelda stopped mid-sentence as a realization hit her. "Oh, Hylia. You knew Mipha, didn't you? That's why she offered to have you do the dance for me, to avoid awkwardness with her?"
Link rubbed the back of his head. "Guilty as charged. I went to school with her. And she knew it was me. We've somewhat kept in touch, but she didn't know I was dancing."
Zelda shook her head and pushed herself up off the bed. "Well, that won't be the case for much longer. But I digress. Let's go to dinner. We will want some time to rest before the drive back tomorrow."
Link followed her lead, buttoning up his shirt and sliding his shoes on. "Wherever you'd like to go is fine with me."
Zelda let out a soft sigh to herself while they silenced their phones and headed to the car. Regardless of what the next day would bring, at least they had a few precious hours to spend together enjoying a change of scenery.
Zelda did her best to swallow her nerves and pretend that everything was fine as she smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles out of the green sundress that Link had bought for her to wear. The style was similar to one she had in her closet at home, but the color was more akin to the fabled green tunic that the heroes of legend would wear. Not that she minded. Especially not when Link himself decided to wear a similar shade of button-down shirt with his snug black pants.
She stole another glance at him as they entered Daruk's cafe a few minutes before their scheduled meeting. The big man himself greeted them warmly, and she made a beeline for him.
"Been a hot minute since you both been in here! How're you doin', little gal? How's life treatin' ya?"
Zelda thought back over the previous few days. The highlights were certainly the times spent with Link. Their evening walk the night before had ended with slow, tender lovemaking with the windows open so they could hear the sound of the waves on the shoreline.
"Overall, it's had ups and downs," she admitted honestly.
"Sorry to hear about the law offices." Daruk shook his head. "Damn shame, really. You been able to salvage anything?"
"I'm not sure yet. We haven't had a chance to head over there yet. Link and I were out of town yesterday when it happened." She peeked around, looking for where Link had gone. She spotted him in one of the corner booths, patiently waiting for her to join him.
"I already got your order in, same with the lil' guy over there. I'll bring it out when it comes." Daruk shot her a wink. "Don't let me interrupt your date."
"It's actually not a date," she corrected him with a faint blush. "We're supposed to be meeting with someone here."
"You got it. Have them see me before they sit down." Daruk turned and headed back into the kitchen to begin preparing their brunch order.
Zelda walked over to join Link and slid into the booth beside him. "Had to break it to him that we weren't on a date this time."
"A crying shame," Link chuckled. He took her right hand and kissed it before intertwining their fingers. "I could make it a date. Take you out after we're done with our meeting."
"As tempting as that sounds, we should go by the office and see if they will allow us to survey the damage and salvage anything." Zelda shook her head. "I need to call Impa as well, to see what she wants me to do tomorrow."
"My apologies. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." Mar strode up to the table wearing a perfectly tailored plum blouse and a snug black pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled back, revealing an undercut over her ears, one that Zelda found oddly suited her.
"Not at all. I hope you don't mind that my girlfriend asked to join us." Link gestured for Mar to sit down across from them. "Did you place your order?"
"Thank you, but no. I'm not hungry at the moment." Mar took her seat and folded her hands on the table in front of her. "Thank you for agreeing to speak to me. The thought had occurred to me that perhaps you wouldn't want to speak to me given all that transpired with your father."
Link's smile faltered, but he shook his head. "No. I'm not in the habit of wishing ill upon others, or refusing to grant a reasonable request. If you had something you wanted to say, please say it. If it's about an issue with the car you purchased, we can certainly go to the shop and–"
"It's not about the car," Mar interrupted. "Everything with it has been good. Beyond good, actually. No, I'm here to apologize."
Zelda and Link exchanged puzzled glances.
"What do you mean, exactly?" Zelda asked slowly. "What do you need to apologize for?"
Mar's dark eyes met hers briefly before shifting to Link. "I know why your father died. I know who is ultimately responsible, and I want to help you make sure that justice is served."
