Chapter 52: A Day in Garreg Mach
AN: Hey everyone! Still plugging away. I'm just about done with this story. The end is in sight! Gonna keep plugging away and working hard to finish this. Like always, I am thankful that you are reading this and I hope you enjoy it.
***I don't own anything in this story, so please don't sue me.***
There were a few shops, but it was certainly busy. A blacksmith, an item merchant, a weapons dealer, and…Samantha wasn't sure what the last one was but the man probably had some kind of important thing he was selling. After all, there were a lot of people around his shop.
"Hey Cyril." The guard waved at the boy.
"Open the gate. Lady Rhea has granted these two a room in the guest house."
"Open the gate!" The guard called out and the gate opened. "You know the way?"
"Of course I know the way!" Cyril responded with an annoyed tone. "I know every square inch of Gerreg Mach. It's this way." He motioned for the two to follow him and he walked up to this regal building. They entered the main floor and the layout was incredible. Marble columns were all around with porcelain countertops throughout the floor.
"Hello Cyril." The receptionist replied with a warm smile.
"Hello. Lady Rhea requested that these two are given a room to stay the night in."
"By Lady Rhea's orders?" she asked. "Very well. We should have a room available right now." She turned around to retrieve a set of keys.
"Should we think of names? What if it's a boy? Or a girl? We need names."
"Sam, you're getting too far ahead of yourself." Marcus placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Marcus, I want this so much, I can barely contain myself." Samantha bit her lip. "I want a little girl."
"And what if we have a boy?" Marcus smirked.
"I don't care." Samantha smiled. "But I want a girl."
"For someone who doesn't care, you certainly are serious about having a girl." Samantha giggled and hugged his arm.
"I could live with having a little boy first."
"What if we have only boys?"
"We're having a girl." Samantha pouted and Marcus laughed followed by Samantha.
"Whatever you want, dear." He smiled as the receptionist returned with two keys.
"Here we go. Room four twenty five." She handed the keys to Cyril, who handed them to Marcus.
"Thank you." Marcus nodded to the receptionist and then to the young man. "We can take it from here."
"Lady Rhea specifically ordered me to-"
"Look, Cyril…was it? Sam and I…we're going to go it alone from here. Just…tell Lady Rhea you did your job. It's for the best. Trust me, you've your job." Cyril hesitated for a minute. "Please." Marcus insisted, but nodded his head and left them alone. Marcus and Samantha walked to their room and entered. Their room was massive and had a great view of the monastery.
"Wow…it's beautiful." Samantha gazed upon the view. "Marcus-"
"We could probably a summer home out here…if you want. I'm sure we could find a small area…dad and your mom could help build a small cottage. Two little boys running around…"
"Two girls." Samantha corrected her husband.
"Sure, Sam…whatever you say." He smirked and she laughed.
"Two children…you and me…and pets…we'll need at least two pets."
"Absolutely." Marcus nodded his head while Samantha pulled the curtain shut and then walked to the door and locked it.
"For now, let's work on the first part." Samantha walked up to her husband and passionately kissed him. She began taking his shirt off and removing her own. No one would ever assume it by looking at her, but Samantha loved being a bottom and the only one who knew this fact, was Marcus. He began slipping her pants off and kissing her body.
"Marcus…" Samantha panted while he smirked and removed his own pants. Samantha smiled and licked her lips. She bit her bottom lip as Marcus finally removed the last bit of his clothing; revealing his well-endowed member.
"I've…Marcus…" She smiled as she quickly removed her bra and panties. His member was completely erect as he climbed on top of her.
"Ready?" Marcus smiled.
"Yes." He slowly entered the firstborn and she gasped quietly. She leaned up to try and kiss her husband, but with him restraining her, she was unable to press her lips against her husband; not that she minded. She was getting more and more turned on by the second.
"Don't tease me…" She quietly whined as Marcus pulled out and drove deeper inside her. Samantha moaned a bit louder and smiled. "Do me…I'm yours. Whatever you want…" Marcus smiled and kissed his wife's cheek.
"What I want…" He pulled out again and drove back in. Samantha moaned again and bit her lip. "Is to knock you up."
"Then do it. Give me a child. Make me a mother." She smiled and Marcus picked up the pace. She began to pant and moan while her husband continued holding her down and penetrating the firstborn of Hyrule.
"Fuck me…fuck me…Marcus…" She whined a little louder between her moaning and panting. Samantha lost track of how long they had been doing it; she was lost in bliss with her husband satisfying her needs. Marcus was finally getting close.
"Sam…I'm…I'm close…"
"Inside…I want it all…"
"Sam, I…I…" Samantha wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him close. He unloaded everything he had inside the firstborn and she could feel it inside. Every bit of strength she had was gone. Marcus rolled off of her and Samantha breathed heavy.
"Mar…cus…I c…I ca…can't…" Samantha closed her eyes and placed an arm around him. He smiled as he watched her sleep. Her chest rose and fell while she was fast asleep. He quietly got out of bed and walked to the shower to clean up. He quietly shut the door and turned on the water. When he hopped in, he began washing his fur.
'Probably should start thinking of names…' Marcus thought while he washed his fur. 'If it's a girl…hm…tradition says we name her after her mother. So, Samus…something…McCloud?' Marcus shook his head. 'No, that doesn't have a good ring to it. Zelda McCloud? No…it's got to be perfect.' He began watching his chest and gasped. 'Lilly. Well, what's the formal name? Lilith? I think that was her name. Lilith…Rose…yes. Yes, that's it. Lilith Rose McCloud.' He smiled and he felt confident with the girl's name. 'Excellent…now for our potential son's name. Let's see…she's the daughter of Samus and Zelda…plus she carries my last name…how about something to tie all three families together?' He thought while washing his body. 'Wait! I got it! Rodney Nohansen McCloud!' He smiled as he nodded his head. 'You're good at this, Marcus.' He finished his shower and hopped out. He dried himself off and returned to the bed. He could hear his wife whimpering like she always did when he was gone. When he was on missions and she had to be alone. His heart sank as he watched her. He never wanted to hurt her or make her feel alone. The best memories he had were when he came home. Samantha would wrap an arm around him and snuggle up to him. That alone, made everything worth it for him. He crawled back in bed and, like a magnet, Samantha draped her arm over Marcus' chest and smiled.
"If we're having a son, then don't say a word." Marcus whispered to his wife. There was silent and he jokingly smirked. In truth, he didn't care if they had a son or a daughter. He wanted a family…almost as much as Samantha.
"…girl…" Samantha mumbled and Marcus snickered. Even without any energy, she wanted a girl. No matter what.
"Goodnight, my dear." Marcus kissed his wife and fell asleep. The two slept throughout the night and a knock awoke the blue fox.
"Huh?" Marcus asked still half asleep. Another knock at the door and Marcus got up and slowly walked to the door.
"Yeah, yeah I'm coming. Hold your horses." He grumbled and stretched as he walked towards the door; poking only his head out.
"Yeah?" He asked with a sluggish tone. Standing on the other side was the queen of Hyrule, Zelda.
"Is Samantha up?" Zelda asked.
"Yeah, she's…" Marcus yawned and opened the door. "…still in bed." Zelda noted that Marcus was still nude and she shook her head. She quickly entered and shut the door behind her. She entered the bathroom and returned with a towel.
"Marcus."
"Hm?" He turned and was greeted with a towel to the face.
"Please put some clothes on." He looked down and quickly put the towel around himself.
"Samantha, wake up. It's time for class."
"…mmmnph…?" Samantha slowly opened her eyes. "…muh…mom?"
"You're going to be late. Get cleaned up and let's get going."
"Where are we going?"
"Get. Up." She repeated. With the help of Marcus, she got out of bed and the two walked to the bathroom to clean up.
"Wash my back, pretty please?" Samantha asked. Marcus grabbed a bar of soap and began washing her back.
"So, Sam…I've been thinking of names…of our children."
"Mmhmm…" Samantha let the water run over her head.
"If it's a girl, how about Lilith Rose McCloud?"
"Oh that's cute." Samantha smiled.
"And if it's a boy…how about Rodney Nohansen McCloud?"
"Marcus, you're really good at names." Samantha turned around and kissed her husband before kneeling down and wrapping her lips around his member.
"S-Sam…"
"I'll be quick." She licked the shaft and brought him to full mast. "One more time. Right here."
"Your mom's outside." He whispered.
"Then we'll have to be quiet." She smirked and began sucking him off. Marcus quietly gasped while Samantha worked on him. His knees felt like jelly, but Samantha continued blowing her husband.
"Sam…I…I'm gonna…" Samantha pulled off as he shot his load all over her face. He was breathing heavy and Samantha wiped away the spunk that covered her eyes.
"What do you think? Should I go out there like this?"
"Your mom will kill me." Marcus laughed and Samantha laughed before washing her face. "Sam, you're the only girl for me."
"I love you more than anyone in the world, Marcus." She cleaned her face and kissed her husband.
"Samantha…" Zelda knocked on the door. "You're going to be late." The two of them finished washing up and got dressed. Samantha was sporting a white summer dress and a matching button collar shirt along with strapped leather sandals on her feet. She didn't bother combing her hair and left it wet and hanging. Marcus was wearing clothes that were practically similar to his original attire; cargo shorts, black converse sneakers, and a white t-shirt with the Star Fox logo plastered on the front.
"Let's go. Let's go!" Zelda opened the door and before they left, Samantha grabbed their keys and left the room. The three met up with Samus, Virginia, and Serena, Jackson, and Alexander along with all their pets in the marketplace.
"Finally!" Alexander threw his hands up. "What were you doing up there?"
"I asked Marcus for a facial." Samantha replied casually and a smirk. Marcus covered his eyes with a hand and blushed red.
"You picked a really crappy time for a spa treatment." Jackson shook his head and walked away. Samus glared at her daughter. Samantha gulped hard and began looking for breakfast. "Honey…what do you want?"
"Sam…did you really need to say that?" Marcus whispered.
"They don't know." Samantha replied. "I'm not wrong."
"It's more of the appropriate timing thing I'm worried about."
"They don't know. It's fine. I won't make another joke like that again, I promise." Samantha vowed and picked up a delicious looking apple. "Two of these…and…maybe a banana? Or do you want an orange?"
"I'll take the banana. I worry about what you'll do if you get the banana." Samantha gasped and placed a hand against her chest.
"Marcus James McCloud! What an outrageous statement." She smiled at her husband.
"An outrageously accurate statement." Samantha giggled and kissed him.
"Love you…" She swooned for the man. Marcus chuckled and grabbed the fruit while Samantha paid for them all. They began following their siblings and before Samantha could catch up with the group, Samus smacked her daughter in the back of the head.
"OW! Mom-"
"Don't." Samus whispered. "You asked Marcus for a facial?" Samantha looked up at her mother and gulped. "I'm not telling mom. We both know what she'd do if she knew. Seriously…pull yourself together."
"Sorry mom." She quickly apologized.
"Don't apologize. Don't do it again." Samus gently pushed her daughter forward and Samantha walked forward; now more embarrassed than before, she rushed forward to her husband. Marcus looked back to a scolding Samus shaking her head and he nodded before turning around and eating breakfast while walking. Just before they turned the corner, Samus spoke up once more.
"Marcus!" She tossed him a water bottle. "Clean your hands. Give that to Sam, too." Marcus used the water to wash his hands and handed the bottle to Samantha. She did the same thing and the group finally made it to an area outside. On the right, there were classrooms; the closest had red trim around the entrance. The next had yellow trim, and the last had blue. Shamir, Manuela, and a young woman who looked to be about the same age as Samantha walked out of the last room.
"Everyone…" Rhea began walking towards the group from behind the Hylian royal family. "As I informed you all yesterday, we have two special guests today. Classes with them are completely voluntary, but it's recommended to attend them. This is Queen Zelda…" She gestured towards the Hylian born queen. "And Queen Samus…" Now gesturing to the former bounty hunter. "Both are experts in their fields. Lady Samus is a physical based fighter that excels with almost any weapon. And Lady Zelda is a master with her magical abilities."
"Where are the leaders of each house?" Samus asked. Two men stepped forward. The first was a prestigious man who had royalty radiating from him. He had black clothes and a blue cape and gold trim. He had blonde hair and light blue eyes.
"My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. I am the leader of the blue lions." He spoke with a confident tone. The other man stepped forward and smirked He also had black clothes but his cape was yellow along the golden trim as well. He had dark brown hair with a single braid on the right side of his face. His eyes were a light green and his skin was tan colored.
"I am Claude von Riegan. Leader of the golden deer."
"Where is Edelgard?" Rhea asked.
"Edie…was busy. She wouldn't go into details, but she was quite upset." Dorothea stated. Rhea clenched her fists, but Zelda stepped forward.
"What is her formal name?"
Edie…um…Edelgard von Hresvelg. She leads the black eagles. She's a good person, though Please don't be mad." Dorothea begged. Zelda thought for a moment before nodding.
"Very well." She walked back and turned to the entire group. "Welcome one and all! My name is Zelda Grace Hyrule. This is my lovely wife, Samus Aran and my children. Samantha, Virginia, Jackson, and Alexander. That is Virginia's fiancé, Serena Yvonne. And this handsome gentleman is Marcus McCloud. My daughter's husband. "I have met a few of you yesterday, but rest assured that the seminars my wife and I will be teaching are completely free and we welcome students as well as faculty to attend. Any questions?" A young girl with bright orange hair raised her hand.
"Yeah." Samus pointed to the girl.
"With all due respect-"
"Leonie, say your name." Shamir whispered to the woman.
"Ah…right. Sorry. My name is Leonie Pinelli." The young woman smiled. "With all due respect to you, Lady Samus. Though you may claim to be the best fighter in Hyrule. My mentor is twice the fighter you could ever be."
"Leonie…" A man shook his head and she looked scared of him. He had light brown hair and a chinstrap goatee that matched in color. He was broad and held a wooden training axe in hand.
"Why are you all so disrespectful to our guests?" Rhea exclaimed. "You are tarnishing any chance we may have with establishing relationships with our neighboring kingdoms."
"It's all good, Lady Rhea." Samus smirked. "We don't need to prove anything. I'm sure your mentor is good, but with all due respect, I've beaten better."
"Excuse me?" The man raised an eyebrow at her.
"Look, you look like the kind of guy who could probably handle himself, but I've gone up against some of the nastiest, meanest, ugliest bunch of thugs this world has to offer. And besides…" Samus flexed a muscle for them. "I used to be a bounty hunter back in the day."
"Then how about a little match? First one to knock the other off their feet. If you win, I'll give you a tour of Garreg Mach…with what I can."
"Fine." Samus smiled. "If you win, I'll buy the first few rounds and delve into some stories about some of my favorite captures."
"Deal." He smiled.
"No, you know what? Does anyone have a piece of cloth I might use? Here's your first lesson: sight is a lie."
"Sight?" Dimitri asked now more confused more than ever. Ingrid returned with a piece of black fabric and ran it to the woman.
"Thank you." Samus tied it around her eyes and was blind to everything around her. "Everyone back up…kids, I want you to learn. In order to achieve success in a fight, you need to learn to trust your other senses. Sometimes, you'll be prevented from using one of your senses…so you need to learn to rely on the others."
"Your highness, please." Dimitri protested. "Surely there must be another way to-" Samus pointed in the direction of where the voice came from, but she was pointing to a wall instead of him.
"Is that Dimitri? Do you think this is an unfair advantage, Dimitri?"
"Yes. Obviously, he-"
"Watch closely, Dimitri." Samus held up her arms. "Ok, which way is he? Just turn me in the right direction." Samantha moved her mother to face right of where she was looking. The man smirked.
"My name is Jeralt. You should know the name of the man who will best you."
"Keep talking…it'll be your downfall. Someone count off!"
"Um…" Virginia stepped forward. "Three! Two! One! Um…g-go…wi-with the attacking…sorry…" She apologized. Jeralt rushed towards Samus, but to his surprise, he ducked and he swung the axe over her body. Two kicked to his back dropped him to his knees.
"we're not done yet. The rule was you have to fall on your back." Samus remained calm and Jeralt attacked again. Once again, Samus dodged his attacks and landed another punch to his gut.
"Guh…" He groaned and caught his breath.
"How are you doing this?" A young man asked. Though Samus couldn't see, he was in all yellow and his skin was tan colored.
"I can sense him." Samus replied. "When you cannot see, use your other senses. I can feel his movements through the ground. I can hear him moving towards me. Though I can't see him-" She took two steps back and this time, he landed a shot against her.
"Got ya!" He smirked, but his smirk faded when he saw how shoe recovered. Years of yoga had saved her and throughout her life, she had been labeled a contortionist. "Wha…what is this?"
"Years of yoga, my friend." Samus' chest was facing upwards, but her palms and feet were facing the same direction. She pushed herself up and was now using her hands as feet. "I'm actually going to wrap this lesson up." Samus pushed off the ground and leapt towards Jeralt. He swung the axe, but Samus felt right into the splits; about as majestic as possible, before giving him an uppercut and knocking him onto his back. All the students gave surprising gasped and applause. Samus took off the cloth and smiled.
"I am wanting to be in the program of mentoring!" A young woman raised her hand. She had tan skin with a small purple mark under her right eye. Her hair was bright purple and she wore a white blouse with a black skirt and knee high boots. "I am Petra Macneary. I am…an immigrant child from Brigand."
"Immigrant…child?" Serena asked. A young man with green hair sighed.
"Just say you're a foreign exchange student." He remarked and waved to the Hylian royal family. "Linhardt von Hevring. Now, if it's all the same to you…" The boy yawned and walked back to the classroom. "I'm going to take a nap." The young man began walking back to class, when Ferdinand held out an arm.
"Linhardt! Show respect!" Ferdinand stated. "You're joining Lady Zelda's class. Are there limits on class sizes?" Ferdinand asked. Zelda looked at her wife who leaned in and whispered to her. Zelda nodded and turned back.
"We're holding class sizes of five to provide personal training."
"Five?!" Another orange haired girl exclaimed. "But…but there's so many of us."
"Well…" Zelda looked at her wife with hesitancy before looking at Rhea. "Could we possibly stay a few months longer?"
"Now that you are here, I'm afraid I can't let you leave." The entire Hylian family stared at the archbishop with fear and shock.
"…what?" Samus asked quietly. Zelda's eyes narrowed and she smiled.
"She's lying." Rhea smiled and started laughing.
"You should have seen your faces. I jest, family of Hyrule. Of course you can stay as long as you wish." Rhea's words were warm and inviting; like a consoling mother.
"Our seminars will begin after lunch. We'll work with our children between seminars and when we're not training you, I want you all to learn something new or make new friends." Zelda informed her children as well as Marcus and Serena. "We'll see you all soon." Zelda beamed and the children returned to their classrooms and both Samus and Zelda turned to their kids.
"Samantha, Virginia…come with me." Zelda instructed while the two women followed their mother. Samus turned to her boys and Marcus.
"Alright. Let's get loose." Samus began stretching alongside the men. Zelda found an open field in front of some dorm rooms.
"Virginia, do you do yoga in the mornings?" Zelda questioned her daughter.
"N-no." She nervously admitted.
"Well, I would recommend you begin after today. Samantha, this may come easier for you since you have already learned how to maintain and find your center. The girls began stretching as well to loosen up and when they were limber, they began.
"Give each other some space. Shoulder width apart…breathe in…and out…" Zelda instructed followed by both girls. "Now try to reach your toes." Zelda bent over and was barely able to touch her toes. Samantha, having done yoga and since she was more flexible than her mother, placed both hands around her ankles. Virginia, however, struggled to reach the ground.
"I…guh…c-can't…reach…"
"Virginia, don't strain yourself. Just try your best. If you can't reach, that is alright." Zelda said and they remained for a moment. After a bit of posing, Zelda conjured two small purple orbs. "Children, close your eyes. I want you to clear your minds of anything and everything. When you feel ready, open your eyes." Samantha slowly opened her eyes first and Virginia shortly after. "The triforce is power, but it is also a part of you. I want you to think about taking the orb. Focus on what you want to do. Then let your magic act for you." Samantha thought about it for a minute. She then reached forward, but she began thinking about her pregnancy and her attack magic lurched forward like a powerful strike. Zelda was quick to block her accidental attack.
"Mom, I'm so sorry." Samantha apologized.
"Samantha, focus. You're acting frantic. This stuff takes time. Learn to slow down…focus on your magic and gently grab the ball." Virginia opened her eyes and cautiously thought about the ball. Her magic slowly reached out, but her confidence prevented her from acquiring the ball. Virginia sighed with disappointment.
"Virginia, do you actually want to achieve this goal?"
"Yes." The princess replied.
"Your confidence is waning. You do not want this. You must trust in yourself. Both of you must trust the magic as you trust yourselves. Your magic is yours to control. You need not show aggression, yet you need not be afraid. Assert your dominance and take control." Samantha focused once more and became more determined. However, she thought about her pregnancy once more and instead of grabbing the ball, Samantha slapped her mother in the face.
"Sorry, mom." Samantha covered her face. "Damn it…damn it, damn it damn it!" She clenched her fists and folded her arms.
"Samantha…you have something on your mind. What is it?"
"Nothing."
'You should tell her.' Nayru chimed in with a sing song voice.
"Shut. Up." Samantha hissed under her breath.
"Whom are you speaking with?" Zelda questioned.
"No one." Samantha replied.
'You're ly-ing.' Nayru chimed in once more.
"Stop tal-king."
"Samantha." Zelda spoke sternly. "Speak your mind or we are finished." Samantha gulped and looked away.
"Mom…p-promise you…you won't be mad?"
"Samantha, nothing you do could upset me."
"When we spoke to Hylia…on the way to the coliseum…she told me to celebrate with Marcus. She also told me that I'd be pregnant. Last night…Marcus and I…"
"You're pregnant?" Zelda asked.
"I think so, but…it too early to take a test. But I trust in Hylia…"
"So your pregnancy is what's on your mind?" Virginia asked.
"I…I don't want you thinking…we're supposed to be guests here…I…I'm not a…a…a whore…"
"Samantha Grace Aran! Do not ever call yourself that!" Zelda sternly stated with anger. "You are my daughter and I love you with all my heart."
"But our reputation-"
"Do not dwell on such things. Samantha, if you are pregnant, then you have made me the happiest mother in all the lands. And if anyone tries to call you names, I will personally deal with them. No one…not any one…fucks with my family." Samantha weakly smiled and Zelda hugged her daughter. "Was that all you were worried about?"
"Y-yeah…" Samantha sniffled.
"Samantha…take some time to regain your center. Your mother and I are proud of you. There is no reason to feel shame or worry. Find your center. When you're ready, we'll continue. Virginia, focus." Samantha watched her sister. Virginia smiled with excitement, however her magic wasn't improving.
"Mother, I'm sorry…" She apologized. "I'm never going to learn this."
Do you both think you'll learn this in a few hours? Children, this is going to take months! We are using simple spells right now. By next year, we'll begin training with more advanced spells. Oh no, children…we are nowhere near done with training. We've barely gotten started." For the next two hours, Zelda began training her daughters to use spells with almost no improvement from either girl. They had the ability to conjure magic, but they couldn't use it how they wanted to. The children from the three houses left to see what Samantha and Virginia were doing, but Zelda stopped practicing.
"I think that is enough for today. It seems that the children are heading to lunch. Your homework-"
"We have homework?!" Samantha exclaimed. "Mom-"
"Samantha…" Zelda used her motherly tone on the firstborn. "Your homework is to make one new friend. Learn something new about them and learn their name. Find out something interesting and explore the monastery. That's all for now. We'll resume training tomorrow." Zelda hugged her children and kissed their heads. "I love you, girls. As much as I love your brothers."
"Love you too, mom." Samantha squeezed her mother a bit.
"I-I love you more, mother." Virginia protested and Zelda chuckled.
"Go on, girls. Make some new friends." She gently pushed the girls and the two followed the students to the dining hall. Jackson and Alexander were already sitting at a table talking to one another.
"Sam! Over here!" Alexander waved his arm; though he didn't need to bring attention to himself since they were the only two sitting down. Samantha walked towards the line of students waiting for lunch.
"Do you feel any better?" Samantha asked her sister. "Do you think you're any better at magic?" Virginia sighed and shook her head. "Yeah…me neither." Samantha frowned.
"So…how was your training?" Mercedes asked the girls.
"Oh, hi Mercedes. Um…I'm…I'm not as good as Virginia." She admitted.
"Be honest. We both suck." Virginia frowned.
"Well, as long as you keep practicing. That's the important part. I have a few books that might help."
"Thank you." Virginia bowed her head and smiled. "You guys must be really tough if you all can use magic."
"To be honest, we're just playing around. We haven't been able to use any kind of dangerous magic. It's probably for the best…who knows what chaos would come about if we could." Mercedes turned to a young orange haired girl with the most adorable self-made hair curls just underneath her ears. "Oh! This is my best friend, Annie.
"Hi!" the young girl waved her hand with excitement. "My full name is Annette Fantine Dominic. Your parents are really cool!"
"Thanks…" Samantha replied with an uneasy tone. She got the feeling that she'd forever be known as the child of the greatest people in Hyrule, rather than by her own name.
"So, listen…if you don't have anyone sitting next to you…would it be bothersome if we sat next to you?" Mercedes asked. Before Samantha could reply, a young man with dark blue hair and pale white skin approached the two women.
"Mercedes, Annette. Dimitri would like to have a word with us."
"Can't it wait, Felix? We're making new friends." Annette insisted.
"There's no one more eager than myself who wishes to speak with a former champion of the tournament. But keeping Dimitri waiting is never a good idea." The girls groaned and Virginia perked up.
"Another time. We're probably going to be here for a bit." Virginia chimed in and the girls nodded their heads. They got their lunches and the princesses of Hyrule joined their siblings at the table. Virginia took a seat across from Jackson and Samantha was going to sit next to her when she heard a voice behind her.
"That's my spot, thank you very much." Samantha turned around to see a smirking Serena standing behind her. Samantha scoffed with a smile and took one step to her left.
"Well excuse me…your highness…"
"Don't you forget it." Serena and Samantha giggled as she was about to sit down, when Marcus slid right in front of her and took the seat.
"Thanks." He quickly said before taking the seat in front of Samantha. Virginia covered her mouth to stifle her laughter and Serena smiled, but giggled through her teeth. Jackson and Alexander tried to look away from their sister; barely containing their laughter.
"I already hate this table." Samantha replied and the table burst into laughter. Samantha took the seat next to Marcus and laughed alongside her family. "Ginny, you're so far away." She reached out helplessly for her sister. "Where are the pokémon?"
"They're spending time with your parents. Samus and Zelda are eating lunch away from us so they could spend time together." Marcus explained. The table was then joined by the blue haired woman Samantha saw earlier.
"How did your mom do that?" The woman asked in a calm, collected tone. Samantha blinked twice before tilting her head ever so slightly to the side.
"…what?"
"Sorry, I should start over. My name is Byleth Eisner. I'm the head teacher for the black eagles."
"You're pretty young to be a professor." Samantha noted.
"I was a mercenary before coming here."
"Mother was a bounty hunter before becoming a queen." Virginia added. Byleth turned her head to see a young brunette sitting at the other end of the table.
"She's…ah…Vir…ginia." Byleth stated calmly. Virginia nodded her head and she turned to the boys. "Jackson…and Alexander…" She correctly pointed to the boys and turned to Samantha. "Which would make you Samantha."
"Yeah, but no one really calls us by our formal names. Except for Virginia…she's the weird one in our family."
"You're the weird one in our family." She protested with a smile. "The rest of us, just call us Alex, Jack, and Sam."
"Understood. Now, about my question-"
"I don't have an answer. Mom's really into yoga and she's always been flexible like that."
"I've never seen anyone move like that. Her reactions are almost…supernatural."
"Mom's a freak. What can I say?" Samantha chuckled. "You ever hear of the tournament?"
"Not personally, but Felix has." She pointed to the young man who asked Mercedes and Annette to join him with speaking to Dimitri.
"He knows about it?"
"He is obsessed with it. He often talks about crossing swords with some of the greats. I have no idea who any of them are, but he practically started grinning with anticipation when he saw you all here. He wished he could face off against Ike, Marth, Chrom, Lucina, Ryoma, Link-"
"Hey, where is dad?" Samantha asked while looking around.
"I haven't seen him." Marcus replied as a white haired girl sat next to Virginia. Her iris was purple and she had a warm, inviting smile.
"Hello. May I sit here?" She questioned the princess. Virginia was too nervous to give a response.
"You're already sitting…it's kind of hard to say no…" Serena noted.
"My name is Edelgard von Hresvelg. I would like to offer my sincerest apologize for not-"
"It's not us you should apologize to." Marcus began eating lunch without looking at her.
"May I please explain myself?" She asked and everyone turned to her. "I was leaving my room when someone played a prank on me." She glared in the direction of Claude. Claude smirked and looked away from her.
"Claude? What did he do?" Byleth asked.
"He placed a bucket of water above my door. As I opened it-"
"The bucket fell on you. Alright, I understand." Samantha nodded her head. "Don't let it bother you."
"I must make amends for my unexcused absence."
"There's no need. Look, my parents are training you all today, right? Why don't you apologize to her there? She'll understand." Samantha informed the white haired woman.
"I…th-thank you." She bowed her head and quietly left the group to eat.
"Please forgive me, but I'm afraid I have already forgotten your name." Byleth apologized to the blue fox.
"Marcus. Marcus McCloud." Marcus held out a hand. "That's Serena. She's Virginia's fiancé."
"Sorry. I'm still trying to remember names and faces." Byleth apologized again. "So, Serena and Marcus. What do you think of Garreg Mach so far?"
"It's amazing." Serena replied. "The pokémon love it and there's so much free space. It's incredible!" Serena smiled.
"Your library is unlike anything I've seen either. The information about everything regarding the countries that surround Garreg Mach…it's incredible. Plus, it would seem that Dimitri, Claude, and Edelgard are all future rulers of their homelands. That must be nerve wracking. You could start a war if one of them gets upset with someone."
"Like us…" Samantha quietly admitted to her husband.
"I'll speak to her. Rest assured, I'll take care of it." Byleth replied as everyone began eating. Upon finishing lunch, they set aside their trays and looked around.
"Now what?"
"Well, it's our free period to do whatever it is that we want. I assume the classes have started, so we could swing by and I could introduce you to the students briefly. Though they may not say hello back since they'll be, you know, learning from your parents."
"You guys go on ahead. I heard there were stable around the corner…I kind of want to see the horses." Alexander told his siblings.
"There's a fishing hole south of here. I'm going to catch some dinner." Jackson replied and the two boys went off.
"It's always something." Samantha shook her head with a smile. The group began heading out for the two groups. In the field across from the classrooms were five students and Zelda was standing across from them. They knew three students; Lysithea, Mercedes, and Annette were in attendance among their fellow classmates.
"So, that's Lysithea and Mercedes. We met them back in Hyrule. And Annette is there as well." Samantha stated.
"Right. Next to her in the light blue hair is Marianne von Edmond. She's a very sweet young woman. Shy, but she has a pure heart. She loves animals and of your…pokémon? Is that what they are called?" Virginia nodded her head with an excited smile. "The one your mother calls Aqua…she loves Marianne."
"Aqua's the youngest of her siblings. She's innocent and full of good intentions. However, sometimes she gets into trouble by accident. That's why her oldest sibling, Torch. That's the fire looking one." Virginia pointed to Torch who was asleep and away from the group. "She's very protective of her siblings. But as long as my family is around, she lets her guard down a bit. She trusts my family to protect her siblings in large groups like this."
"Aqua is adorable." Byleth smiled. "And the other one is Lindhart von Hevring."
"I remember him. He's the one who was going to take a nap." Serena noted.
"He's a bit…lax…to say the least." Byleth admitted. "He's quite skilled with magic, make no mistake about it. I'm sure he's not thrilled to be in this class, but he'll take it to see what your mother is capable of."
"He's in for a treat." Samantha remarked with a smile. Byleth led the group to the training grounds where the all three house leaders were in attendance.
"So, there is Dimitri. Head of the blue lions and future heir to the kingdom, Faerghus. Claude, the one in the yellow, is the future ruler of Riegan. And Edelgard, whom you met before, is a future ruler of the Adrestian Empire."
"She is the future ruler of an empire? Her?" Samantha asked with surprise.
"Yes. It's amazing, isn't it? Between the three of them, an all-out war could break out if one of them gets mad at another." Byleth smiled. "That's why we must be extra careful." She said in a semi-warning tone to the guests.
"Right." Marcus nodded and she turned back to the group.
"Now, the other two in attendance is Petra. She's actually the future heir to a small kingdom known as Brigid. English is her second language and she tries to use it as often as she can. So please don't hold it against her if what she says seems confusing."
"She's funny." Virginia giggled before yelping and covering her mouth. "I…I'm not laughing at her…please don't tell her! I'm sorry!"
"I know what you mean. Petra is a sweet young woman who tries her best. But even she knows that she struggles with English and she takes everything with stride." Byleth explained. "The other one is Leonie. She's…well, she calls herself Jeralt's protégé, but she is just a skilled huntress. She's quick on her feet and, knowing her, she only wants to learn from your mother just so she can challenge her and defeat her."
"She wants to learn how to fight better to defeat my mother?" Samantha asked. "That's…that will never happen."
"One can dream." Byleth smiled. "I never imagined my father would lose to anyone…much less, a queen. But look where we are." Samantha smiled at her new friend. "So now-"
"Excuse me, professor." The young man known as Felix approached them.
"Felix! What a surprise. You know the class is full. I'm afraid I cannot bend the rules for you."
"That's fine. I'd like to speak with Samantha if possible. About the tournament."
"Ah…yes…" Byleth turned to Samantha. "Felix is obsessed with that fighting competition you and your family are involved in. He's always wanted to try out, but he has no way to attend the matches or witness them in person."
"My favorite promo is…I believe it was the wild west. It had the Cinderella story and the former princess Zelda."
"Can I see it?" Serena asked. Felix nodded his head.
"Felix, be nice to our guests. I have some papers to grade, so please excuse me. It was nice meeting you. I look forward to our next meeting."
"Thank you, Byleth." Samantha bowed her head and smirked. "Next time, how about you and I see who's the better fighter?"
"I wouldn't want to embarrass you." Byleth joked.
"You're right. I'd have you on the ground faster than your old man." Samantha smirked and both women laughed. Byleth waved goodbye and left them alone.
"Come on. I'll show you." He led them to the student dorms for the blue lions. As they passed, Virginia saw Bernadetta peak her head out the door of her room and quietly shut it.
"Does…does she usually stay in her room?" Virginia asked.
"Who?" Felix asked and Virginia pointed to the door. "Bernadetta has always been shy. I've never understood why she's here if she just stays in her room." Felix shook his head and led them to his room. "Give me a minute." He walked to his bed and opened a laptop. He began typing and turned it around. "Got it." The video began playing with some soft dramatic music overlooking a stream and it cut to a field with the sound of an eagle cry and a bison walking through a dry patch of dirt. It cut once more to mountains and grass and a voice began speaking.
"Once upon a time in the west…" The voice had a slight southern draw, but it was masculine and deep. He sounded like what one might expect an old cowboy to sound like. "Sure sounds like a fairy tale." The screen cut to a few more beautiful scenes of the ol' west and finally, there were shots of fighters in the tournament. "Go on and ask the contenders…they'll tell you it's more like a nightmare." There was a clip of Samus and Falco in each other's face and yelling at one another; it cut to one of Link and Gannondorf pointing fingers and scowling at each other. Another clip of Fox shoving Wolf and Wolf shoving him back and finally one of Mario being escorted away with blood running down his face between his eyes and onto his nose. "Best roundup we've ever seen? Could be." It cut to Palutena focusing on her upcoming match while biting her bottom lip. Another cut to Zelda looking worried and one last cut to Captain Falcon flexing his muscles and smirking. "Shoot, you wanna reach the promise land? You'll have to go through the young guns." It showed a smiling Sheena and another cut to Lloyd Irving polishing his blades. "The wild bunch…" Falco was holding his arms out while looking up, followed by a cut to Zelda who smiled and waved at the camera, and then it cut to Ike simply glancing at the camera. "Some bad company…" Gannondorf smirking at the camera, followed by Bayonetta sitting with one leg over the other one and a confident smirk on her face. "An outlaw…" Wolf O'Donnell sneered at someone off camera. He was saying something, but no one could make out what he said. His eye patch made him look especially intimidating in this shot. "And a whole lotta true grit…" Peach clapped her hand as well and smiled before it cut to Mewtwo's eyes staring forward and not really looking at anything.
"Meanwhile on the horizon…" The voice continued speaking as the camera cut to a sun rising over the horizon. "There's a swordsman…" It was a clip of Link hitting his shield with his sword in slow motion and yelling; like it was intentionally slowed down. "A maverick…" The next clip cut to Fox McCloud spinning a gun in his hand and holstering it before continuing to walk away. "A bounty hunter…" The next clip was Samus Aran cracking her knuckles and walking forward. She slapped her chest with an open palm over her heart and growled as she walked. "And a few silverados that ain't done yet." Donkey Kong was beating his chest in a clip which cut to Bowser baring his razor sharp teeth at the camera. Another clip showed Mario hitting a punching bag, and finally, Marth was swinging a sledgehammer against a giant tire.
"Surviving the good, the bad, and the ugly…" Multiple clips of the other fighters winning, losing, beaten up, bleeding, wincing in pain, crying, yelling in aggression, and other dramatic moments leading up to a black screen. "That my friends…" A few more clips of competitors winning and punching their ticket to the tournament played. Smiles and head nods as well as fists pumping and celebratory displays of triumph. "Is how the west. Will be won…" It then finally cut to Samus Aran winning her match against Link before fading to black. All that was displayed was the trophy and above it were the words: 'The tournament' and underneath the trophy it read: 'Begins Saturday.' Before going completely black and the video ended.
"Wow…" Samantha replied. "I had no idea that was one of the promos. That's so well done!"
"Right?" Felix laughed. "It makes it look so cool. And all the great fighters…" He sighed with a smile. "I wasn't born yet, but man…I would have loved to compete with them."
"There's still a whole lot of big time brawlers. Groups from Tellius, Ylisstol, some pokémon…it's always buzzing."
"I'd like to try out…someday, maybe I can."
"I'll speak to the board. See if I can have a few of them come out here and maybe establish some preliminaries. With your help, we might be able to increase the amount of entries from thirty two to sixty four."
"You're serious? You'd do that for me?" Felix asked.
"Well…for everyone here. Once the other students hear about this, I bet more people will want to flex their muscles. Like Ranulf…and Maurim…fuck man…you have no idea."
"Oh my God, they're so tough." Marcus shook his head. "There was this one time I fought against Ranulf…he hit me so hard that I thought I broke my teeth."
"He sounds like an amazing fighter." Felix replied.
"Look, we should really get back to the group. I promise that when we finally get home. I'll speak to the board. Count on it." Samantha held out her fist and Felix fist bumped her.
"Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me."
"Let's go back and explore the monastery. We've got a lot to see." Marcus smiled and the group walked away. The future looked bright for the tournament. Samantha smiled as she couldn't wait to return home. She wanted to resume training, but she remembered last night. She placed a hand on her stomach and smiled.
'Family first…then we resume the ruthless training mom taught you.' Samantha thought as they walked back.
'Everything will work out…just you wait, Samantha.' Nayru informed the firstborn.
"I trust you, Nayru. I know you'll lead me to the right decisions." Samantha said quietly. "And…sorry about the gross stuff."
'Please try to refrain for continuing that lifestyle in the future.' She reminded the princess. 'You want to set good examples for your children, don't you?'
"Yeah. One change at a time. Let me give birth first and then I'll change my ways."
'You are ridiculous.' Nayru sighed with frustration.
"We're stuck together…you might as well get used to it. I'm a stubborn bitch." Samantha smiled and they left the dorms. With hope in her heart, and a confident attitude for the future ahead…Samantha was determined to make the most of her future. From now on, she was going to appreciate every single day with those she loved. Her husband, her family, her kingdom…she was going to be the best princess Hyrule ever had. As they walked by the greenhouse, Link stepped out and saw them.
"Sam." He said in surprise.
"You're…You're Link! Greatest swordfighter in Hyrule. I…this is such an honor." Felix bowed his head.
"Hey dad." Samantha replied.
"He's your father?" Felix asked.
"Sam, can I talk to you…alone?" He asked. She walked towards her father and next to him was Snake.
"F-Father…" Virginia stammered.
"Virginia. May we speak?" He inquired. Bother girls walked towards their fathers and turned back.
"Can you guys give us some time? We'll catch up with you later." Samantha added and the group split from the group. Link looked over at Snake and the two nodded.
"We'll go by the dock. Snake, do you need help finding an area to talk?"
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. There's an area by the alter of Seiros. I'll take Virginia there and we'll talk." He began walking followed by the second born and Link led his daughter to the dock. Samantha took her shoes off and gently placed her feet in the water.
"I just wanted to check on you. How are you doing?"
"I'm managing. Dad…how'd you get here? We literally just left yesterday."
"Snake's really good at what he does. He pulled me aside and told me that I'm coming with him to this land…Fódlan."
"Dad…what are we going to do without grandpa? It feels…I don't know what Hyrule will be like." Samantha admitted before she saw bubbles in the water. She pulled her feet back and backed up, only to be greeted by Aqua popping her head from the water.
"You're such a dork." Samantha smiled and moved back to put her feet in the water. Aqua leapt into her lap which was now soaked, but Samantha didn't mind.
"Hyrule misses their royal family. Right now…they're a little clingy. They love Fox and Krystal, but they really want their family back."
"What about you? Do you…want your family back?" Samantha looked away and bit her bottom lip; she closed her eyes and expected him to reject her.
"Sam…don't be dumb. You're my daughter and I love you with all my heart. I'm not going anywhere and I'd be heartbroken if I weren't in your life. Or if you didn't want me in yours. Malon loves you and Linkle definitely loves you. She wants to see you and tell you about all the wild adventures she's had. You know how wild her imagination can get." Samantha laughed.
"Hey dad…can I tell you something? But…please…I'll never forgive you if you spoil it for me."
"Sure, Sam. What's up?"
"I think I'm going to be pregnant."
"Are you serious? That's great! Your mom's going to freak out." Link smiled.
"You don't think she'll be mad?"
"I imagine she's going to cry her eyes out. She's going to be so proud and excited for grandchildren." Link smiled. "Has Marcus been working on his dad jokes?"
"Is that, like, a thing? Is it some kind of requirement to have a book of dad jokes or something?" Link laughed and walked away from his daughter. He returned with two fishing rods and two buckets.
"Sam…you want to go fishing?" Link asked as he took off his boots and socks before putting his feet in the water. Samantha nodded and took the rod. Aqua hopped back into the water and whimpered.
"What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you." Samantha replied. "Aqua, just…go swim over there." She pointed away from the lines. "I catch you a fish. Would you like that? You want a fish?" Aqua smiled and chirped as Samantha finished tying the bait on the hook. "Alright. I'll catch you one." She sighed with content as she casted her line out and waited for a bite next to her dad.
"I'm glad you still want me in your life." Link smiled as he waited. "I've still got stuff to teach you."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Samantha smirked as she felt a bite. She reeled it in and found she caught a small minnow.
"I can teach you how to catch real fish instead of those tiny fuckers." Samantha laughed and threw it back before retying bait to her line.
"This is nice, dad. No more secrets, though. Promise?"
"I promise." Link said as they waited for more fish to bite.
Virginia followed her father towards the church and at once the approached the church itself, there was a stand that many people were praying to. In front of the praying area was the urn that Zelda had brought with her from home. To her surprise, no one else was in the church.
"So…" Snake took a seat in one of the pews. "Are you well?"
"Father…are you ashamed of me?" Virginia asked.
"Of course not." Snake replied. "You are my child. I am sorry if you feel neglected by me. As I said before I am not father material. I felt that it would be best if you did not know of me."
"But I do know now. I do want you to stay in my life. I do not want you to leave. Please, father!" Virginia begged.
"I promise to stay in your life…but, answer one question for me. Why?" Snake asked. "Why would you want me in your life?"
"You are my father. You are as important to me as my mothers. I love you. You are my family and I want to keep my family together as much as possible." She spoke with heart and passion. "I…um…I plan on having children…"
"Are you?" Snake asked. "You want a child?"
"Two, actually…maybe three. Serena will have one…maybe two."
"You'll make a fine mother. Virginia, your heart is like Zelda's. Large and full of love."
"Mother never spoke about you when I grew up."
"She knows I like my secrets."
"But why? Why are you so…secretive?" Virginia asked.
"It makes my job easier if I don't have anyone worry about me. The more people know about me, the more human I become."
"But you are human…unless…" Virginia gasped. "You're-"
"I'm not a robot." Snake interrupted her. "Or a cyborg, or some kind of machine, or anything else." Snake explained.
"Would you know you're a robot? Or maybe that's EXACTLY what a robot would say."
"Virginia…"
"I'm just saying."
"I'm not a robot." Snake repeated. "I am a man of the shadows. I am only seen when I want to be seen. Give me ten seconds and I can hide where no one will find me."
"Virginia!" Zelda called out and walked up to her daughter.
"Watch this." Snake shot a hook shot to the roof and though Virginia saw him quickly move to the entrance, Zelda did not see him.
"Virginia…what are you doing up here?"
"I was speaking to father."
"Your father is here?" Zelda looked around. "Where?"
"Hello Zelda." Snake replied and Zelda yelped in fear.
"Hylia…David!" She hissed and hit his arm. "You scared me." Virginia giggled while Snake smirked.
"Told you." He glanced at his daughter and she smiled.
"Mother…do you need something?" She asked.
"No. Catherine informed me that you were following some strange man and…I grew worried." She admitted. "You're just speaking with your father."
"I'm just speaking with him about you." Virginia replied. "I've wondered why he is so secretive. I wish to know more about him. Like his favorite color, his favorite movie, his happiest memory in the tournament, his saddest moment, and something fun about you. I wish he'd be more open with me…but I understand that he has dangerous jobs. If he opens up, that means I'd worry about him and I don't want to cause him problems in his work."
"Red, Casablanca, I made it to the final four once, I had to forfeit a match once due to injury, and your mother once believed Bilbo Baggins was a living being." Virginia turned her head in shock to Snake and then back at her mother.
"Mom?!"
"David!" She hissed and placed one hand over her eyes.
"But…the Lord of the Rings is a fictional movie."
"Well, no one told me we were watching a movie. I thought it was a documentary." Zelda explained.
"There were dragons!"
"Goldoa has dragons." Zelda reminded her daughter.
"And elves?"
"Sylvarant and Tethe'alla."
"Dwarves?"
"They also exist in both continents. In fact, more dwarves have expanded into neighboring kingdoms as well."
"What about Mordor?"
"I…thought it was a land that I had not visited." Zelda admitted.
"There's an entire book series!"
"I didn't know!" Zelda blurted out and Virginia giggled while Zelda turned to Snake who was smiling at her. "Don't smile. I'm mad at you. Now I look like a buffoon in front of our daughter."
"Mother, you never cease to bring joy into my life." Virginia hugged her parents. "Promise me you'll stay in our lives. Not just mine, but Sam's and Jackson's and Alexander's."
"David will not go anywhere. I can assure you of that." Zelda looked up at him and he nodded.
"If that is what you wish…then I'll keep an eye out for you. And your future fiancé."
"I should really head back to training."
"I…um…h-have heard wonderful things about the library." Virginia gulped and her father escorted her towards the library. Virginia felt complete; she now knew who her father was and the mystery of her father was the thing of the past. She was happy and excited to be here. All she needed was to marry the girl of her dreams. But for now, that could wait; she had to live in the moment and in this moment, she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.