"You're back earlier than I expected."
Ashei's altogether familiar sarcasm was a welcome sound to Link amidst of all of the chaos in his head. At first, he had been irritated by her blunt, harsh rhetoric, but the more time he had spent working with her, and the more cynical he had grown, he had begun to see a certain charm in it.
"The prisoner wasn't as, er, cooperative as I had hoped."
His lieutenant nodded and crossed her arms. "Unsurprising. Probably didn't much help that I knocked him out. That bruise I gave him looked pretty nasty." She chuckled rather sadistically at her own comment. "You get any info out of him?"
Link shook his head and grimaced. "Every question I asked was met immediately with one of his own. It was a waste of my time more than anything." He offered her a small nod. "How are you holding up?"
The corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly. For a few moments she said nothing, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. When she finally did offer a response, her voice was thin and hushed. "Eleven men is a lot, Link."
He knew better than to pry any further from her; she had always preferred to keep her emotions to herself. Even so, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, hoping that she would understand his unspoken message: I'm here for you.
Ashei flashed him the faintest hint of a smile. Link could almost hear her silent reply: Thank you.
She cleared her throat and shook his hand off of her shoulder. "In any case, I'm glad you're back. This is, without a doubt, the most boring job in the entire kingdom."
Her comment drew a laugh from Link as he glanced at the Queen's door behind Ashei. "I take it nothing eventful happened while I was away?"
Ashei shook her head. "Her highness retired about an hour ago. We doubled security for her escort per your instructions, and another unit is on its way to remain posted here for the night."
Link raised an eyebrow. That was his job.
"That won't be necessary, Ashei. I can take it from here"
Ashei interrupted him with a wicked grin. "Oh, but your wife has specifically requested that you remain inside her chambers tonight."
"Not so loud," Link hissed, sneaking a glance behind him to ensure nobody had heard Ashei's comment. Inside, though, his heart skipped a beat. It had been several weeks since he had been afforded private time with Zelda. Despite having been married in secret for well over a year now, between the many things vying for each of their attentions at every moment, they were maybe able to sneak in a night together every month or so. It was about all they could manage without a scandal blowing up.
"Is everything okay? Is she okay?"
Ashei snorted as she nodded, evidently amused by Link's overprotectiveness. "She's fine, Link. She told me she had 'private business—'" she made air quotes with her fingers "—to discuss with you that couldn't wait 'til the morning." The lady knight poked his shoulder playfully. "Sounds spicy."
He swatted her hand away, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Now is not the time, Ashei."
She threw her hands up. "Fine, fine. Gods, you're so uptight."
Link rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered.
Ashei was one out of three total people (besides Link and Zelda themselves) aware of their clandestine union. She had become sort of a liaison between the two, ensuring that the precious little time they were able to spend together was protected best as possible. So far, she had done her job well; there would always be rumors floating the streets that Hyrule's princess had taken a private suitor, but not a single person to Link's knowledge had been able to support them with any kind of fact.
Even so, it was unlike Zelda to take such a risk; Link would have expected her to save whatever matter it was which she wanted discussed for when he reported to her in the morning. Not that he was complaining, of course. He was obligated to accept the nature of their relationship (which was, of course, that it was nonexistent to anybody but them), but that certainly didn't mean that he had to be happy about it. And he wasn't. It should have been easy, seeing as how Zelda was the single person he spent nearly all of his time with. But, as he had quickly come to find out, the constant need to suppress his feelings for the sake of their professional relationship seemed to make the distance he felt between them even worse.
Which makes nights like tonight even more special, he thought to himself.
He cleared his throat. "Listen, I want you posted here tonight with the security detail. If anything happens, or if you see anything out of the ordinary, I want you to come for me immediately. Am I clear?"
Ashei nodded firmly. "Of course, sir. They should arrive here any minute now." She smirked again. "Have fun in there."
He scoffed at her remark as he gently rapped on the door. Charming as she was, Ashei very much enjoyed making most of her jests at Link's expense. He'd for the most part grown used to it by now, accepting that it was just the way she related to people. Still, he wished that sometimes she wouldn't be so blatantly irreverent, especially regarding his and Zelda's personal life. He had done his best to keep that part of their lives between just them two. But, between the taboo of the topic and how damn flustered he got whenever she brought it up, he knew that Ashei just couldn't help herself.
His brief annoyance morphed into mild amusement. "Just keep the guards distracted for a few hours and we won't have any problems."
A wide grin formed on Ashei's face and she gave him a playful shove. "Atta boy."
Link owed a lot to her, and as gruff and prickly and coarse and downright disrespectful as she could be sometimes, at the end of the day, she was one of the only people he could absolutely rely on.
Her loyalty to him remained unquestioned in his mind, despite everything. She was fierce, powerful, and incredibly motivated, and over time these qualities had made her indispensable to Link. She had whipped the military into shape almost single-handedly, and had saved his life on more than one occasion now. Deep down, he was infinitely grateful to her for her help in lightening the load of all of his responsibilities; Hylia only knew where he'd be without her.
A muffled 'You may enter' from behind the Queen's door broke Link's thoughts. He nodded to Ashei one more time as he pushed the door open. "I'll debrief with you in the morning at tomorrow's training," he said, and she nodded back in approval. Satisfied, he entered the Queen's chambers, gingerly pulling the door shut behind him.
Though it wasn't his first time being in this room, he still found himself dumbfounded at the sheer opulence of the space. It was huge, the size of a small house, with smooth marble walls decorated with gold trim. Plush red rugs covered much of the floor, blending nicely with matching down bed coverings adorning the Queen's (and his, too?) large four-poster-bed on the far side of the room. There was a large gold chandelier in the center of the ceiling, complemented by a few candelabras that adorned the walls, casting a soft glow on the room itself. The room's lone window had large red drapes, which were pulled shut assumably to dampen the noise of the raindrops pattering against the window. A few armchairs sat near the fireplace, its flame dancing in the dim light of the room.
Directly adjacent was a large sofa, where his cherished wife sat comfortably, sipping tea from a small cup.
"Welcome, darling," she said warmly, her lips curling into a faint smile. She laughed, and winked at him. "I was beginning to think you might not come. I deeply appreciate you proving me wrong."
Link grinned from pointed ear to pointed ear. "Anything for my lady."
Zelda blew on her tea. "Will you join me?" She gestured towards him sultrily, beckoning him over to the couch. She shot him a knowing look as if to say, Please?
She was dressed in a large silk nightgown, the same shade of light pink as the royal gowns she wore during the day. Her long sleeves draped from her slender arms and swayed as she moved. Her chocolate-colored hair, so often pulled back behind her tiara, now cascaded in front of her face and down her shoulders. The soft light from the fire cast a warm glow across her pale cheeks, and her sapphire eyes twinkled radiantly. Looking at her now, Link found himself realizing that he often took for granted how beautiful she truly was.
He smiled even harder and slid his cloak off of his shoulders, draping it on a nearby coatrack. "If that is what you wish, your majesty."
He crossed the room, arriving at the couch. Zelda placed her teacup on the end table next to her, and Link gathered her delicate form in his arms and scooped her up from her seat on the couch. She laughed, and it was a melodious sound, like a million angelic harps twinkling their soft tones in the night. She threw her arms around his neck and embraced him. He nestled his face in her hair, giving her a gentle kiss. Goddesses, it felt so good to hold her again.
"Oh, Link," she cooed softly into his ear, clinging tighter to his neck. "I have missed you so much."
"I've missed you too, my love." He wished they could stay there forever, holding each other, not having to worry about any of the problems going on outside the room.
He gently lowered her back onto the couch and brushed his lips against her forehead. "May I get you anything, darling?"
She shook her head. "I was just enjoying my tea, waiting for you to arrive. I have everything I need now that you are here." She reached to the table beside her and procured the teakettle. "Would you like some?"
Link nodded, and lowered himself next to her on the couch. Though he didn't show it, he was concerned about her; she only drank tea when she was especially anxious. It soothed her, calmed her down. He wondered what was troubling her to warrant it on this particular night. "What are you drinking tonight?"
She sighed heavily and poured a second cup. "Chamomile. I have not slept well these past several nights." She handed Link the cup and said, "Careful, it's quite hot."
Link brought the cup to his lips and took a cautious sip. Despite how hot it was, it was soothing, and warmed his insides as it slid down his throat. "This is wonderful," he said with a refreshed sigh.
"I am told Ashei's company took hostage the leader of the Zealots today." Zelda sat her cup on a nearby saucer and folded her hands in her lap. "Have you spoken to him?"
Link nodded, doing his best not to appear too crestfallen. "Yes, though my conversation with him proved ultimately fruitless. We have no idea what their next move is or how many of them there are." He grimaced, mildly ashamed at his lack of good news.
That's the least of our worries, if it turns out that they're magic users, he thought to himself. But how could he discover the truth of that? Where would he even begin to look?
He almost started to voice his thoughts to Zelda, but caught himself. Whatever else was on her mind was clearly bothering her; looking at her more closely he could see a certain stiffness and defensiveness in her posture. He thought it wise not to add to that burden with unnecessary uncertainty.
I'll consult Ashei and the others tomorrow, he decided.
Zelda glanced toward the window absently, remaining quiet for a moment. "I am also told we sustained heavy casualties," she said at last, her voice flat and hushed. "As if the frost and disease ravaging the streets is not enough death for one evening." She turned to face him again. "My petition to the Council to build a shelter for the homeless was shot down almost immediately. 'Too expensive,' they said."
Link grit his teeth. As much as was possible, he had done his best to separate his bias as Zelda's husband from the objective reality of the Kingdom's politics. His duty to the military, and to the kingdom, demanded it. This was no mere bias, however; relations between the Crown and the Council were quickly getting out of hand. The Council needed to be held accountable for their blatant disregard for the Hyrulean population. All of this was about so much more than tradition and protocol. People's very lives were, and continued to be, at stake.
"I'm sure they offered no alternative?" he snarled.
She shook her head in defeat. "No doubt you felt the chill in the air tonight. With nowhere to go, I fear that many will freeze to death even now."
Her gaze fell, and Link felt a pang in his chest. She didn't deserve this, any of this. She had so few allies, and even fewer true friends. The unbelievable weight of an entire kingdom rested solely on her shoulders, shoulders which had no training or support to bear such a thing. And even he could only do so much to help.
"Zelda," he said, but she did not look at him. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.
"I grow tired of discussing business," she said with finality. "We know not the next precious moments we might spend together like this, and the last thing I desire is for this one to be snatched away from us by things that will still await us in the morning." She paused and offered him a pleading smile. "Hold me for a while?"
Link's cheeks flushed again, but he nodded gently. "Nothing would make me happier."
Zelda smiled and laid her head on his shoulder, her arm resting on his chest. She nestled the rest of her body against his, and Link wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tightly to him. He felt her abdomen ebb and flow with her gentle breath, and she softly ran her thumb along the wrinkles of his tunic. He was sure he smelled disgusting, a pungent combination of rainwater, sweat, and musty air of the dungeon. A stark contrast to her sweet scent of lavender and lemongrass.
"I haven't freshened up yet," he said awkwardly. "I must smell repulsive."
His wife giggled and looked at him. "This is not the worst I have ever smelled of you. I do not mind all that much." She glanced at the door by the fireplace, then looked at him with a playful gleam in her eye. "But, if you would like the opportunity to do so," she lifted her mouth to his ear and whispered, "my bath is still warm, and I am happy to assist you."
A chill raced down his spine and he shivered. He chuckled and said, "As you wish, my Queen."
Hours later, Link and Zelda found themselves back on the couch, snuggled together under a large blanket as they sat by the fire. Rid of his Hero's tunic and armor, Link now sat comfortably in a simple cloth tunic and a pair of loose cotton slacks. He felt himself fighting the urge to doze off as the coziness of the blanket and the warmth of the fire started to lull him to sleep. Zelda was curled up beside him, leaning against his shoulder, twirling his sandy blond hair—still damp from the bathwater—with her fingers.
"My heart is full," Zelda told him, releasing a relieved sigh. "Every moment I spend with you, all of my worries just seem to melt away."
Link smiled and kissed the top of her head. "It's so wonderful to just hold you in my arms again, Zelda." He tenderly crossed her cheek with his thumb. "Tell me what's on your mind."
Zelda turned her hand over so that her palm was open in front of her. She flexed her fingers, and small tendrils of flame danced at her fingertips. Link knew she toyed with her magic when she was restless. First the tea, and now this? He was very curious as to what was bothering her so much.
"I have been experiencing terrifying visions in my dreams," she said sullenly. With her free hand she began to delicately shape the flame into a small sphere, and Link watched in wonder as the flame responded obediently to every subtle motion she made with it. Without warning, she flung the ball of fire into the fireplace, which roared for a moment before dying down again. She turned to Link once again. "Lately, the dream has been of the day Zant invaded the castle. Every single night I relive that horrific day, and the horrible choice I made. It is always the same." She paused, her voice trailing off suddenly. Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed at Link with a pained expression on her face.
"Zelda," Link whispered. "You can't hold yourself responsible for the choice you made. You did what you believed to be best for the kingdom."
"The choice is not the part that bothers me," she said, her voice quaking and feeble. "Last night, the dream was different. It was the same day, the same events, almost everything was the same, except that it was not Zant invading Hyrule Castle."
"Who was it?" Link asked, puzzled.
Zelda offered no response, instead quivering in his arms. He felt the gentle thump of her heartrate begin to rise, and her breathing quickened as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She drew several breaths, attempting to calm herself down.
Link squeezed her hand lovingly, an unspoken reminder that he was there and that she was okay. She smiled at him through teary eyes and sniffled quietly. "Thank you," she shuddered.
"Who was it in the dream?" Link repeated.
Zelda sighed as she shut her eyes tight and clenched her fists. "It was you."