iii. good things come to those who wait
The next time Zelda contacts him, nearly a month has passed.
It's one of the few rare Saturdays when Link and Ilia don't have too much homework and they can run the shop together with the help of her father. Bo takes charge of the cash register as they prepare arrangements and tend to customers. Just the right amount of people come to the shop, and in between clients Link busies himself with doodling his cats with a new ink pen he bought.
Pumpkin and Cheese attract people inside, mostly those with kids that try to pet them, but only Pumpkin likes the attention. The children crowd around her, smaller hands ruffling her ginger fur, and Ilia and Link try to woo their parents or guardians with potted plants and pretty, colorful bouquets.
"We should've brought the cats from Ordon with us when we first moved," Bo comments, scratching Cheese under the chin. "They're good for the business."
The cat is reluctant to melt under the petting, frowning up moodily at Bo, and then at Ilia when she props herself on the counter and reaches over. "I can make them clothes to match our aprons." Pumpkin jumps onto the counter, stepping all over Link's doodles to catch his attention and earn scratches as well. Ilia grins and reaches for her, laughing when Pumpkin starts purring almost immediately. "Wouldn't you like that, girl?"
"She may go with it, but I doubt he will." Link cocks his head at Cheese, who is just now closing his eyes to enjoy the pets, seemingly reluctant still.
"He doesn't get a say in it," Ilia sniffs and points at the sketchbook, and Link slides it across the counter. She turns to a new page to sketch the little aprons when the bell chimes to announce the arrival of a new customer.
Link turns his attention to the door, pushing away from the counter and faltering when he sees Ashei's usual stern face. Dressed in a pressed suit, she looks like the main character of an action movie, maybe a hitman, the volume of a holster by her hip only reinforcing the image. By the counter, Ilia and Bo shift with her entrance, and Link himself almost fidgets under her stare.
"Miss Ashei, right?"
"And you are Mr. Link." Her voice is smooth and deep - and flat. "I have come with a request from Princess Zelda Nohansen of the Royal Family of Hyrule."
Link straightens his spine at the mention of her full title. It's the first time someone outside their little family acknowledges the fact that she's a princess, and coming from Ashei, he's almost afraid to know what it entails. He approaches her, releasing the fabric of his apron he'd been twisting in an anxious gesture to take the envelope Ashei is holding out. The paper is thick and textured, closed with a red wax seal and his name written in deep purple in what he assumes to be Zelda's neat handwriting.
Ashei clasps her hands behind her back and watches intently as he stares at it for a moment, like he's never seen a piece of paper before. Fumbling, he breaks the seal and opens the flap, catching the letter inside between two fingers. The paper is just as rich and he unfolds it with unsteady hands, reading and rereading its contents before looking up at Ashei in stunned silence.
"Any questions?"
"No - I don't think so, no." Link feebly lifts up the letter and envelope. "I - thank you for bringing me this. And for the opportunity."
He thinks Ashei smiles at him for a split second, but he can't be sure. "You can thank Her Highness in person." Nodding at him, and both father and daughter standing like stiff statues by the counter, Ashei takes her leave and disappears inside the same black car Zelda has ridden with her before.
Silence falls in the flower shop as they watch the car pull away and blend into the traffic, and then it all explodes into chaos. Bo can't seem to be able to form a coherent sentence, stuttering and tripping over his words, and Ilia is shooting him a million questions per minute, leaning over the countertop like she can read the letter from that distance.
Link walks back to them and sets Zelda's message on the counter, mechanically turning to slip onto a stool and stare unseeingly at the discarded doodles of cat aprons. Bo takes the letter before Ilia can, bringing it close to his face and squinting, his reading glasses probably lying forgotten somewhere upstairs.
"Dear Mr. Link," he reads aloud. Link can see Ilia chewing on her nail from his peripheral vision. "April is coming up, and as you likely already know, with it comes my birthday. It is a big celebration attended by delegates and Royal Families from many countries that are our allies, as well as important families from Hyrule, and we pride ourselves for offering them only the best in these kinds of situations. That being said, I would like to request - oh ."
"Ugh, give me that." Ilia snatches the letter out of her dad's limp hand, the man now stunned into silence too. "That being said, I would like to request that Ordona Flowers is to be responsible for the flower arrangements - are you kidding me right now! "
Link makes a vague gesture, still focused on the blurry image of cartoon cats wearing deep green aprons. "There's more."
"Your arrangements are absolutely divine and I am quite sure my guests will find them lovely as well." Ilia goes on, gripping the paper with both hands, wide eyes following along the fluid handwriting. "Of course, you are free to decline if you so wish. If you do agree, you will be paid handsomely, and you and your friends will be invited to attend to the party as well. Please contact my personal assistant as soon as you can to let us know what you have decided. His personal contact is written on the back of the letter. My best regards-"
"Princess Zelda Nohansen of the Royal Family of Hyrule." All three of them say as one, silence following their words.
Link doesn't know how long he sits there just - speechless. It's an opportunity of a lifetime, presented to them on a silver platter. For some reason Zelda visited their little shop one day, and keeps coming back, and likes what they do so much that she thinks it's worthy of displaying it in Hyrule Castle for her birthday party . If they agree, they will surely have more clients, but above all else, it's an honor to be picked by the Princess of Hyrule herself.
He can hardly believe this is happening. It was hard already to wrap his mind around the fact that Zelda likes him enough to leave good tips and gift him on occasion, but this... He has no words.
"Holy shit," Ilia says softly, but with feeling. "What are we gonna do?"
Both she and Link look at Bo as he reaches for the discarded letter, turning it around to look at the phone number and email written in the same elegant cursive. "Well, Link." He sets it down and pushes it in his direction. "Your call."
Link looks at the paper like it might change his life forever. And it probably will.
The taxi stops just outside the gates of Hyrule Castle. Link looks at its looming figure from within the car before hastily fishing out his wallet to pay the drive. The middle aged man is kind enough to smile at him and, noticing Link's nervousness but unaware of the situation, wishes him good luck before Link climbs out.
He stands there for a long while, sun burning his scalp and back, phone clutched tightly in hand as he stares through the fenced gate at the neatly trimmed bushes and lush grass and the white building beyond it. Ilia spent hours talking her head off about the history of Hyrule Castle and how Castle Town became Hyrule Capital, and by the end of it Link had a feeling he was as well versed in history as she is. Some people stand to the side snapping pictures of the building before moving along.
Link startles when he realizes two guards in fancy clothes are staring hard at him. Quickly, he whips out his phone and opens the last text sent to him by Mr. Shad, as he had requested to be called, and fired a quick reply that he arrived. Fighting not to squirm under the guard's intent gazes, Link settles for watching the flow of cars moving along the street.
Few minutes later and the gates open slowly, a man standing on the other side, copper hair brushed back and glinting under the sun. Somehow he makes the combination of dark purple blazer and khaki pants work, and though Link dressed in the best clothes he owns and tried to tame his mane of hair, he still feels poorly underdressed near him.
The man, who he assumes to be Mr. Shad, pushes his round glasses up the bridge of his nose and extends a hand once Link is within reach. "It is finally a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Link. I have seen some of your arrangements and they are a delight."
"Hi - um - thank you."
Shad gives him a smile that is as encouraging as it is warm and walks him along the path to the tall front doors. "You will get to see the ballroom soon, but I will give you a brief overview." The tablet he brings into view is thinner than Link's pinky finger and worth more than his outfit, probably. "As Her Highness said, it is a big celebration. Colossal, if you will. As you know, the Hyrule Council has over six hundred members, more precisely six hundred twenty-three. Foreign families and dignitaries attend to the party as well, making the total number of guests eight hundred fifty nine people. Eight hundred seventy if you include the Royal Family of Hyrule."
Link nearly chokes on his own spit; from the number of guests or from seeing the entrance hall for the first time, he doesn't know. Shad pauses in his steps and lets Link marvel at the grandiosity of it at his own pace, staring at large crystal chandeliers and heavy, cherry colored drapes, wide eyed, mouth hanging open. He can see his own reflection on the polished white floor, large paintings decorating the walls. It's too much to take in and they need to get going, so he trips and stumbles as he follows Shad and tries to commit this place to memory. It would make a beautiful painting.
"The total number of tables is eighty seven, as we set them to accommodate ten people each. We will need eighty seven centerpieces, not too small so they will not be overlooked, but not too tall either as to not get in the way. I can provide you with pictures and measurements of past arrangements to make it easier for you."
Shad rambles on, checking things off on his tablet with a stylus, and Link shamefully admits to himself he is hardly listening. He wants to stop at every window to catch a glimpse of the courtyards, wants to stop to observe every vase and painting and embroidered tapestry. And to think his bouquets were in display somewhere in the castle.
"We will need larger arrangements to decorate the room, and smaller bouquets to be taken home by each family as a complimentary gift for attending. This year's color is cherry red. I will be sure to send all details to you in an email. Of course, you can bring coworkers the next time you visit." They pause outside a set of double doors. Link's heartbeat is thrumming in his ears. Shad hums at his tablet. "Before we go in, I need to have your picture taken, Mr. Link."
"M-My picture? What for?"
"Security measures," Shad says and he doesn't need to explain himself further. Link flashes him a tremulous smile and waits as he sends it off to someone. "Very well. Shall we?"
The ballroom is - massive. Link stays by the threshold even as Shad strides further into the room, gesturing to certain areas and explaining the general idea for this year's decoration. Dread settles deep in Link's bones, his stomach churning unpleasantly. This will be one hell of a challenge. He's already trying to calculate how many flowers they will have to order for this occasion and oh, they're a too small busines to handle this. They're a three-people staff, they will need extra help.
Link eventually follows Shad around. The man shows him on his tablet the usual placement of tables and the dancefloor, and to every hesitant question Link asks, Shad answers with confidence and certainty. In a moment of stillness, Link goes over a mental list of flowers that go along well with the color picked for the party, excusing himself as he types the names on his phone.
Clicking heels reach their ears. Shad reacts first, turning towards the double doors and bowing politely at the waist. "Your Highness." Link is slower to turn, bending forward so sharply he could lose his balance and plant himself face-first on the floor.
Zelda stops before them, long braid falling over her shoulder, dressed in pale sea green. Ashei is behind her as usual. "Mr. Shad, Mr. Link. It's a pleasure to have you here."
Link gapes like a Hylian loach out of water and nods.
"If you have any questions or ever need anything, don't hesitate to contact Mr. Shad." She smiles kindly and presents him with a card - an ID. "This is for you. This way you will be able to come and go as you wish."
He takes it with an unsteady hand, his face printed with his full name and a registration number, the symbol of the Royal Family resting at the bottom of the card. "I- I- uh- thank you, Miss Nohansen."
Shad makes a little noise, but whatever it is that bothered him doesn't seem to affect Zelda. "I only walked by to give you this. An appointment waits for me." Nodding at them both, she leaves after saying, "We'll see each other some other time, Mr. Link."
He's still staring after her long after she's disappeared. Shad is watching him, amused.
"Mr. Link, do you happen to-"
"Please, don't finish that sentence, Mr. Shad."
"As you wish." And he laughs.
Ilia spends the days that lead up to their group visit spewing facts about Hyrule Castle every single hour. It gets to a point when Bo and Link sigh simultaneously when they're compiling a list of people they can hire for this task and she inhales sharply before relaying the precise square-meter size of the entrance hall.
During the visit, she gets much worse with the trivia. Shad accompanies them in the first group visit, leads them through halls and rooms - and joins Ilia in her blabbering about the castle. Though Shad had never mentioned anything, Link can guess he's got a major in history too, or at least had been planning to go for it before settling into the role as Zelda's assistant. They're like two trivia machines, not competing to see who knows more about Hyrule's history, but sharing common knowledge and trading few new bits of information.
After the visit, she's more tired. They all are, spending hours upon hours pulling at their hairs and trying to figure out how to do this. Without saying why he needs the help, Bo contacts some of his friends from the same business branch from the Capital and neighboring cities to see if they're available, and finds that they have their hands full at the moment.
They call Rusl as a last resort. The call is brief, he's busy but agrees to help, promising to be at the Capital within five days. He also sends Link some contacts he can call and arrange to help, all of them good friends of his, but doesn't elaborate on whether or not he's talked to them beforehand. Link postpones calling until he can't ignore this anymore.
On a Sunday afternoon he decides to take a break, leaves his sketches and art materials on the counter of the flower shop and goes out for a walk. A little fresh air will help him unwind and hopefully boost his creativity. He's been sketching possible centerpieces for most of the day, testing them out with real flowers, but none of them seem good enough. They aren't good enough for Zelda.
The park some blocks away is a place he visits often. It's the biggest in the Capital, equipped with a playground, a dog park, cycling roads and a lake that houses some ducks and geese. The kids from Ordon like feeding the birds whenever they come visit, and Link likes to find a comfortable place in the shade to draw. Were sketching not giving him a big headache right now, Link would've brought his things to practice some figure drawing. As it is, he finds a spot on the grass to sit and settles for people-watching.
Some kids are building a sand castle, while others are fighting over the tools. The parents only step in when things begin to escalate, two children grappling and rolling on the sand, kicking up dust. Other more well behaved kids are playing in the swings. Some bicycles rush past, and people toss frisbees and balls for their dogs to catch. A couple sits close to the lake to feed the ducks, snapping selfies in between handfuls of bird food.
A blonde girl catches his attention, pigtails bouncing as she rounds the flower patches not too far. Bright green leaves are tucked inside the glass jar in her hands, and she peers down at the colorful blooms with a critical glance. She looks familiar, but Link doesn't remember where he's seen her.
He startles when a big dog approaches him to sniff at his ankles insistently, undoubtedly smelling Pumpkin and Cheese. Link is frozen in place, half fearing for his feet as the dog continues to press its snout into his pants and snorts against the fabric. It's a large dog, a breed he can't name.
"Wolf! Sit!" Obediently, the dog sits back on its hind legs and looks up at Link with bright, docile eyes, tongue lolling to the side in a smile. Link, too, would sit down upon hearing that voice.
Zelda rushes along the path of the park, hair tied up in a messy bun, dressed in monochromatic gym clothes. She holds a leash in a tight fist and marches in their direction, swooping low to secure the dog before greeting him with a smile. "Hey, Mr. Link." His lungs release all the air inside them. "Nice day isn't it?"
"Y-Yeah." He grips the blades of grass for dear life. Some snap under the pressure. "Out for a walk?"
"Decided to take my good boy Wolf for a walk." She explains, running a hand along the dog's dark grey fur. "Also brought my sister to catch some bugs."
One eyebrow raises in curiosity. "Bugs."
Zelda nods, inclining her head towards the blonde girl by the flower patch. "She says she knows all the bugs inside the castle and that she needs more friends."
Slowly, Link nods. "Ah, yes. The goats back in Ordon used to be my friends, too." It's not really a lie; he used to play with them. Ilia and he would spend hours among the animals playing out different, absurd scenarios. Even if she thinks he's joking, it makes Zelda laugh, so it's worth it. "I knew all of them by name."
"Why," she begins, crouching down beside Wolf. "I didn't have as many interesting friends in my youth."
"Really now?" He teases, and she narrows her eyes at him. "No birds? Fairytales dictate that princesses are bird magnets. Also wild animals. No deers or squirrels? Rabbits?"
It startles a laugh out of her, the first he's ever heard. Not the quiet giggle in response to some of his words, but something rich that comes from deep within her chest. Wolf presses his snout to her face, curious. "No. Thank the heavens I was never cursed or banished from my home and had to live in a small cottage in the woods. As nice and peaceful as that sounds."
Smiling, Link scoots away to give her some space to sit, as if there isn't enough grass around the park for her to claim a spot as her own. Zelda sits down with legs crossed, knees just barely brushing his, and Wolf fits himself in the space between their hips. Link reaches out to pet him tentatively, and the dog makes a soft sound.
"Do you ever go on vacations?"
She pauses to ponder, lips pursed. "We have a summer home in Lake Hylia, and one in the famous Termina Bay. If my schedule allows it, I go."
Link twists around until he's facing her. "What is it like to be a princess?"
"Oh, you know," she makes a vague gesture with her hand. "The council sometimes asks for my input as Crown Princess, but it doesn't go beyond that though I attend to every meeting. It's a glamorous life, and all I'm expected to do is show up in events and look pretty."
"That shouldn't be hard for you." It's only when she's giggling behind her hand that he realizes what he's said. Too late to backpedal now or come up with an excuse. Red in the face, Link quickly stammers the first thing that comes to mind to cover up for that slip. "Wha- what events?"
Zelda, thankfully, smothers down her laugh and reigns her smile to something more composed and less mischievous. "Charities, official parties thrown by the Crown, meetings with important dignitaries."
He nods along, fighting the urge to shove his face in his hands. "I've always wondered... How does the media not bother you? Or others civilians for that matter."
She shrugs her shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine. I believe they know that harassing a member of the Royal Family is the highest offense. No one wants to deal with the consequences."
That makes sense. Link quickly drops the topic, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way. Picking at the blades of grass, they watch Agitha for a moment, her dress getting caught in the flower stems, loose petals tangled in her hair. She must have a bug on her index finger given the way she's looking at the tip with so much interest.
"How are the decorations coming along?"
Link had been expecting her to ask that, though she doesn't sound demanding. If anything, her eyes are bright and curious. Is Zelda excited to see what they're planning? "I was trying out flower combinations earlier. Decided to take a break to clear my head, maybe after I'll have more luck."
She makes a small oh , fingers disappearing into Wolf's dark fur. "No luck so far?"
"Not really? I like the arrangements, but-" he pauses, debating how much he should share. Zelda is the host of the party, and he likes to believe they've come to be friends - or something between acquaintances and friends, at least. "I don't think they're good enough for you."
For you , not for your party . Not that Link would do a terrible job had anyone else requested their services, but Zelda has always found his bouquets beautiful, had always complimented them, and he doesn't want to disappoint her, especially not when it comes to her birthday party full of important guests. He'd had considered looking for the most expensive, rarest flowers just for the occasion, but while the flowers themselves are part of what makes an arrangement pretty, the combination and placement are what make it stunning.
Zelda is quiet for a moment, and Wolf basks in the attention she's giving him with her fingers, scritching him between the ears. Link watches Agitha again, if only to keep from staring at his shoes, hands still tearing the grass to his right. He doesn't want to regret sharing with her that much, and doesn't want her to think any less of him either, but doubt creeps up his chest. Maybe he should have stayed quiet. He had no problems with keeping his mouth shut until she came along.
"Honestly," she begins, eyes set ahead but unseeing. He glimpses at her. "I'm still surprised you accepted my offer. I've seen many big name florists screaming and crying in frustration to choose just the right shade of the flowers, so I was hesitant. It's a big event and you'll need a lot of help."
Zelda blinks and tears her eyes away from the horizon, setting her sights on Link instead. He can't help but flush under her gaze, softly crinkled eyes and gentle smile. The cool shade of blue grey of her irises looks warmer somehow. "But I really love your work, and really wanted your arrangements decorating my party. Others will like it as well, I can feel it. So whatever you decide to do, whichever flowers you decide to use and how, I'm sure you'll do a marvelous job."
Link watches her, perplexed, certain that he looks like a lovestruck fool staring at her right now. His ears are burning up and so are his cheeks, and he ducks his head after a few seconds, pressing his lips together, embarrassed. Zelda doesn't laugh or giggle. She does reach out for him, though, to pat him on the back, even goes as far to rub small soothing circles in the space between his shoulder blades. It feels nice. Very nice.
Her hand falls away, and he immediately misses the touch. He peeks at her from the corner of his eyes to see her turning away to greet her approaching sister, smiling at the girl when Agitha shows her glass jar full of bugs. New friends , she calls them, pointing at every single one and saying the names they were given.
Zelda takes the dandelions Agitha offers, seeds waiting to be blown away. "We best get going." As she says it, Wolf perks his head up and looks at her as if waiting for a command. Link blinks at the white dandelion that fills his vision, an offering from Zelda. "See you some other time, Mr. Link."
He takes the flower and watches them leave. Wolf walks obediently at her side, a perfectly trained dog following his owner. Agitha continues to talk about her bugs with wide gestures of her free hand, and Zelda nods at everything she says, listening with rapt attention.
Link lifts up the dandelion and twirls it between two fingers. When younger, he'd give the dandelions he found to Ilia so she could make a wish. The sight of the seeds drifting in the air always brought a smile to her face, and he was happy to see her enjoying it. He'd never given much thought to dandelions and wishes, never considered if your wishes could actually happen. Ilia never said if any of hers came to fruition, but he figures it doesn't hurt to give it a try.
Inhaling deeply, Link makes a wish and blows all the seeds off in one breath. He lowers the stem and sits around to watch them float away until he can't keep track of them anymore, and decides it's finally time to return to the shop.
a/n: I actually forgot to update this here, oops. Apologies! But it's here now, and good news is I know what to do now.