"Princess?" a voice whispered.
Zelda sat up, breathing heavily as she looked around.
"Oh, Goddess! I'm so sorry!"
Zelda put her hand over her heart and cleared her throat, her eyes landing safely on Seres. "No, I'm sorry. It's been a while since we were safe. I'm just… not used to it."
But Seres was already bowing a thousand times as other women joined her in the room, drawing curtains, pouring water, getting a dressing partition ready. It was a flurry of activity that Zelda had forgotten. Though it had been a month and a half since her family was killed, she'd been fending for herself for longer in Hyrule Field, and being waited on felt foreign to her at this point.
"I can do this, you know," Zelda said, wondering if they had more important jobs to do.
But Seres helped Zelda out of bed as another woman rushed behind her to pull up the blankets and smooth them out. "Prince Daltus and Master Niko have asked that you be treated royally, and that you want for nothing. Your dress is finished. The seamstresses worked on it through the night. They are currently working on more that you might wear."
"Seres," Zelda asked, watching everyone. "Is my Link being shown this attention as well?"
The girl hesitated. "Yes. Not quite so much, but we were instructed to follow your wishes regarding Master Link." Her eyes lit up. "Master Link. Much more appropriate than Sir Link."
Zelda grinned. "His ego is doomed." Seres fought back a smile, and Zelda sighed. "You can laugh, Seres. And honestly, I don't need quite so much fuss in the mornings. One person is enough."
"I've been assigned to you formally," she said. "I'm to take care of your needs. But today, we have help."
Zelda let out a sigh and nodded. She was immediately taken behind a partition to wash before being dragged elsewhere to put the new dress on.
She was tightened into a boned corset that she was relieved supported her without crushing her, and these ladies knew how to lace it up for her. It only surprised her because Niko had no woman who lived with them, and she knew her back-laced stays was more symbolic of her status than the simpler front-fastened ones that she'd become used to, which could be put on without assistance.
She missed the simpler outfits already, as another layer was helped over her head. And soon, she was in a long, flowing lace dress with long sleeves that dangled far from her body. Scattered about were shimmering gemstones that gave the garment a sparkle as she moved, and it was loose everywhere but where it was brought in at her waist, which left her mostly free and un-trapped as some regal outfits could.
Two women did her hair into a side plait, and placed an elegant circlet over her head that she could tell had been made with care as much as haste. It was not something she'd be allowed to wear back home, but it showed who she was without speaking. Another woman painted Zelda's lips a reddish pink, and covered some of the old marks that had been etched into her skin, despite being barely noticeable.
When all but Seres had left, Zelda sighed. "I'd forgotten that."
"Majesty?" she asked, confused by her meaning.
But Zelda looked at herself in the mirror. "Did you see what I was wearing when I came in? I'd forgotten what it was like to dress so formally every day."
"You are the Princess. How could you forget?"
"It's been a while. Seres, is there a garter anywhere?"
"There is, but I don't believe you need one."
Zelda grabbed her knife from her pillow and smiled. "I need one.
"Zelda," Link's voice came from behind her door. "Please tell me you're coming out. I'm being followed by people who keep calling me 'Master,' and I don't know what to do."
Zelda couldn't help her smile as she let Seres take the knife and fasten it to her leg. "I'll be right out. Just be nice!"
Seres chuckled. "He's been with you for some time? He calls you by your name?"
"We met before he knew my identity back when we were both imprisoned."
Seres' hand froze. "I'm so sorry, Majesty, to have brought up a sour memory."
"Don't ever feel like you can't talk freely around me. I don't mind if you bring up an old memory. Even that one has some good in it."
"Okay, Link, you can relax now," she said, opening the door.
"Thank the—" he turned to her and his mouth quite literally dropped, much to Zelda's joy. He swallowed hard as his eyes raked over her with slow intensity. "Holy waters of Nayru. You're the damn Princess of Hyrule."
"In all her glory," Zelda laughed, unabashedly turning to offer him a full look. "Goddess, Link!" she couldn't help herself as she pressed up against him to run her hands through his hair. "You cut it!"
He was far more aware of their audience, or perhaps he cared more that there were eyes constantly on the both of them. His hands rested lightly on her waist, if only so she wouldn't fall. But his hands shook as he kept them still against her. "You wanted to know what it looked like before. Here you go. Average, soldier hair."
Her eyes lit up as she stepped back. "I like it both ways. But I'll admit that with you cleaned up and not wearing clothes splattered with bloodstains, you are looking very handsome. And you smell nice. What did they do to the Link I knew?"
He chuckled. "They tore flowers to shreds and threw them in the water, along with the Link you once knew. It was bizarre."
She flashed him a wide smile. "Well, hopefully he's not totally gone."
"No," he muttered, lowering his voice. "He's just trying very hard not to say something inappropriate to you around these guards."
"He's doing very well."
She looked him over. He was in far more casual clothes than she was. It wasn't something a noble would wear, but yet not the cheapest thing from the street markets. He kept his sword on his belt, which had been returned to him after their time in the cell.
"Well, it's time you officially meet my cousin. Hopefully, some sleep has put him in a better mood."
And it had.
Prince Daltus stood with his hands clasped excitedly as he looked Zelda over. "Now, cousin, you look like yourself. Come, meet Niko, our host."
Zelda held out her hand, and Niko placed a sloppy kiss on the back of it. "Princess."
She fought back a grimace. "We've met before. Thank you for your generosity. But to be honest, I'd like to dispense with small talk and formalities. Ganondorf is coming. He's already on his way to Saria to destroy it, looking for me. We have to strike soon."
"Zelda," Daltus said, stopping her with a pat to her knee. "Our best strategists are on this. We do not come up with the battle plans. They know what's best. It's something you'll want to learn when you are queen: you defer to those with more knowledge than you."
"Very well, I'll go talk to them instead. Where can I find them?"
Daltus looked at Niko and made a face. "We don't go to them. They'll request a meeting with us when they have something worth sharing."
Zelda glanced at Link, who remained stone-faced and in a traditional guard position with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Oh cousin, I nearly forgot! It's time for our speech."
"I'm sorry?"
Daltus stood up and smiled at Niko before turning to Zelda. "We are announcing that you're alive and well. Ganondorf will call off his attack on Saria if he knows you're not there, and you're in the most heavily guarded city in Hyrule."
"Besides Castle Town," Zelda added spitefully. "Before it was destroyed and the castle infiltrated. Announcing me is not safe yet, and it will absolutely not stop Ganondorf."
"We're on," Daltus said, grabbing her wrist. "There's no time to second guess these things."
He pulled her onto one of the many balconies on the property, only this time, half the city was standing beneath them, muttering anxiously for the mysterious announcement.
"My dearest people," he called out in his most thunderous voice. Everyone quieted down, straining to hear, though there was someone already sitting and jotting down every word to post it throughout the city for those who couldn't hear or who had missed the announcement.
His people, Zelda thought to herself with a scoff.
But he went on: "It is with greatest pride that I can announce to you on this day the return of my dearest cousin, whom we had all believed to be dead. Princess Zelda of Hyrule!"
A wave of shocked murmurs went through the crowd, and Zelda was pulled forward by Daltus, perhaps a bit too forcefully. She wasn't even sure the nature of this speech she was meant to give. Was it a simple greeting? Was it meant to call for troops? She figured she'd take it however she wanted to.
"People of Damel, as my cousin, Prince Daltus has just said, I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule. I am alive. And I am the last living member of the royal family. I can attest to the rumors that King Nohansen, Queen Llyan, and Princess Aelia are… they are all dead. I only survived because Ganondorf wanted me to cede control of this great kingdom to him. He did not want it to go to Prince Daltus with my death, but for my legal signature to keep him in power forever.
"He has led you to believe that I am dead. He has lead you to believe rumors that I might be alive in the castle, hiding or captured. All of these narratives were meant to throw you, to keep himself in power. But I am here to say that he will never become the true King of Hyrule. I will never give it to him. He's determined to take it by force. And that's where I need you.
"All of us have a choice in this world. We can act, or we can be passive. There are times when acting is rash, and passivity is the key to a solution, but it is not the answer to the problem we all face. Ganondorf has burned the town of Saria, and he will come here. It may not be immediately, but he will bring his army north. He will kill your families. He will burn your homes. He will enslave whomever he pleases, and let his monsters take what is yours.
"I know that it is frightening. I'm frightened too. But a wise man once told me that we can only be bravest when we are most afraid. I need your courage now. Ganondorf is coming. If you believe it is too dangerous to fight for me, or for our kingdom, fight for your families. Fight for your home. But fight. I'm begging you to join me as we retake Hyrule from the usurper so our children can live in happiness and peace. We will bear that responsibility, so they won't have to. I cannot do this alone, so I humbly come to you," she said, taking a breath and kneeling. "Please. Find the strength and courage to aid me."
She could feel Daltus tugging on her arm to get her off her knees, but she shrugged him off. And as she looked up, she could see the people slowly bending down as well, bowing in return. She let out a deep breath as she stood up and could see several people with their hands in the shape of an upside-down triangle, the inside of the sacred Triforce, and the symbol of the Goddess Hylia. A symbol also associated with the royal family.
Niko brought her inside, leaving Daltus to continue talking, for whatever reason.
"A wise man?" Link muttered as Zelda passed him.
She was brought too far from him to return any words, so she winked at him before following Niko.
"Princess, it's so lovely to see you alive, but we are trying to help you. Your people are tired, and they come to our announcements for news, not false hope. We cannot hope to win Hyrule back with our forces alone. We are recruiting from other kingdoms, and we are in talks with King Auru and Prince Midos. One may be amenable, as their trade with Hyrule is affected by poor leadership."
Zelda narrowed her eyes. "You neglected that part before throwing me out there. I don't regret what I said. Every single person makes a difference."
She could see Seres in the corner of the room and motioned for her to come closer, though she turned her attention back to Niko. "I assume there is nothing else for us to discuss, since you don't actually make any decisions?"
His mouth fell open, about to chastise her for her comment before he remembered who she was. "No, Princess, I have nothing else I wish to discuss with you at present."
"Good. Tell my cousin I will see you both for dinner." She made a show of leaving the room, but stopped when she was out of sight and brought her attention to Seres. "Do you know where I can find the strategists they're talking about?"
"The barracks, Majesty."
"Good. I'll find them. In the meantime, would you send word to the seamstress that, and there's no great rush apparently, I believe I may need some armor made."
"Armor?" Link asked. "You think they're going to kill you in your sleep?"
"No," she said with a wriggle of her eyebrows. "We're going to war, and I'm not going to miss the look on Ganondorf's face when he loses. I can't stay back with the injured this time. I'm coming."
Link looked her over and felt himself nodding. "I wouldn't expect anything coming from you."
"We need to get people on our side. Daltus is acting like the entitled prince I've always known him to be. I need someone I can trust to look into things for me."
"I know someone, Majesty. His brother is a physician, and I know you have had training. Perhaps that's something you can use to break the ice? He's very trustworthy and loyal to your family," Seres said, glancing around cautiously, "As am I."
Zelda nodded once. "I'll meet with him. And thank you, Seres. It means a lot. Arrange something, and I'll see you later today for details."
Seres bowed and took off, leaving Zelda alone with Link.
"Do you trust her?"
Zelda let out a sigh and shrugged. "I want to. I want to trust everyone here. But… I think I've forgotten how."