Zelda rolled her eyes as Peach held a bright pink shirt out. "No," she said firmly.
"Just try it!" Peach made a pouty face and Zelda grabbed it with a groan.
"I don't look good in pink," she sighed as she went into the dressing rooms.
"You never wear it, how could you possibly know?" Peach fired back and Zelda smirked to herself. "So what's the deal with that Ike guy?" Peach asked and Zelda paused, not happy about the reminder of Ike's... was it flirting?
"He's uh-"
"The way he grabbed your arm Zelda," Peach said casually, a little too casually, "I think he likes you, whatever he is."
'Then why was he hitting on you?' Zelda thought grumpily to her as she stepped out of the dressing room in the pink top. Peach gasped.
"I love it!"
"I hate it. You know I like purple," Zelda said and Peach scoffed.
"You can wear more than one color seriously. I'm buying it for you! Don't even start!" She cut off Zelda's words with a smirk. "Now come on, try on these!" Zelda stared at the mountain of shirts and pants in her arms, a sigh escaping her lips.
XxX
An hour later and Zelda was beginning to feel like a fashion doll. Every two seconds it was "try this!" or "ooh perfect!" She was currently standing in front of a mirror, a dark purple nightie clinging to her curves.
"No," she said and Peach scoffed.
"It's purple!"
"No."
"Zelda look at it! It's sexy and," she pointed to the model wearing the same style nightie in a different color, her swollen belly hugged comfortably and flatteringly, "it will look sexy when you're a balloon."
"Gee thanks Peach," she said sarcastically.
"And," Peach continued as if oblivious to her sarcasm, "the baby daddy'll love it. And he is...?"
"He's someone," Zelda said absentmindedly as she turned in front of the mirror once again, thinking of him in the shower that morning... "Do they have it in deep blue?" she asked and Peach smiled.
"Who's that for?"
"Someone," Zelda answered and Peach clapped her hands excitedly.
"I want details! Over lunch! Let's go I'm starving!" She paused and laughed. "After we pay for that and you change of course..."
XxX
The surplus of purchases in the trunk of the town car, Zelda and Peach sat down at the nicest little bistro in the capital. Zelda was relieved to get off her feet and she ordered the biggest glass of lemonade they served. "So," Peach started and Zelda sighed, "oh don't you dare missy! You have to tell me." Zelda glanced around them, their bodyguards were a respectable distance from them, but not far enough to be hindered if there was a threat. Any other patrons were kept at a very good distance, not that the pricey place held many people to begin with.
"He was a one night stand," she whispered and Peach gasped.
"You? Oh my god now I have to know everything!"
"Goddesses Peach he was so charming and witty..." Zelda rolled her eyes. "I had no intention of sleeping with anyone and he talked me out of the bar and-"
"You went to a bar? Where?"
"Isle Delphino," Zelda admitted and Peachg gave her a look. "Link's idea," she held up her hands and Peach sighed.
"Fair enough... Go on."
"I was there, we talked, we walked on the beach, and next thing I knew I was having the best sex ever... until we went again. Apparently he's incredible every time."
"Every..? You're still-"
"Yes."
"Then why hasn't he come forward? Why not have a big press conference and announce the upcoming marriage?"
"Peach," Zelda laughed lightly, "it's not that simple."
"How's it not? You obviously still like him, otherwise you would've terminated the pregnancy, if you're still going at it you guys have great sexual chemistry-"
"I don't know if he even likes me or how he feels about me being what I am. I didn't tell him when we met obviously and-"
"Has he demanded money?" Peach asked and Zelda shook her head.
"He wanted me to have our baby and give it to him so he could raise it away from this."
"Wow," Peach sounded impressed and Zelda sighed. "What's he do for a living?"
"Works on an oil rig," Zelda said and Peach waggled her eyebrows.
"That means muscle. Where's he from?"
"Not here," Zelda said and Peach stared at her. "We haven't talked about what we're going to do and I'm worried. After Ganondorf-"
"That pig can go fuck a duck girl," Peach said and Zelda laughed as the waiter looked at her funny before setting their lemonade before them.
"What would you like?" he asked in a soft voice and Peach beamed at him. They placed their orders and the waiter vanished from sight.
"Now come on! I need details! Don't leave out a single one!" Zelda smiled at the exuberant princess across from her. Sure she drove her nuts, and the whole thing with Link strained their already strained relationship more, but when it came down to it, she couldn't keep her completely in the dark.
"Well," Zelda picked up her lemonade and took a sip, "it started with..."
XxX
Ike roamed the tourist attraction that was once the grand front hall, blending in better with a goofy green hat he snagged from Link's room hiding his blue hair. The tapestries were beautiful woven masterpieces, worthy of the oohs and aahs they drew from the onlookers. He kept moving though, past portraits that showed the past royalty, the heroes of legends, all the way to a yellowed scroll in a language he could read perfectly.
"'Princess,'" he read, murmuring the words in his native tongue, "'we wish that we could aid you in your war against the darkness... However we face our own peril right now, at the hands of our own madman, and cannot spare the force necessary for they are engaged in battle and our numbers dwindle.'" Ike swallowed hard. The madman had to be the Mad King, the time of the Radiant Hero. He turned to the plaque beside the letter. The translation was off a little. 'Will not spare the force'. "Fucking shit," he said, drawing a gasp from the blonde little girl next to him. He looked at her and smiled an apology before walking off, wondering how the pompous ass of a king would take knowing that most of his hatred was built on a bad translation.
XxX
"But who is he?!" Peach wanted to know and Zelda smiled tightly. "C'mon Zelda! I would tell you!"
"I can't Peach," she picked at her salad, the smell of the dressing almost turning her stomach. "I don't know what he and I are and-"
"What do you want it to be?" Peach asked and Zelda stopped stabbing at the cherry tomato.
"I want him to be by my side but it's not that simple."
"Why not?" Peach asked and Zelda opened her mouth only to close it.
"Because more than likely I will be queen, and I don't know how the people will react, not to mention my father. He's already reacted badly," Zelda finally stabbed the tomato, the juice oozing out of the puncture wound slowly. "I don't think I can eat right now," she put down her fork and sipped her lemonade.
"Are feeling sick? Should we go?" Peach's face crinkled with worry and Zelda nodded.
"I don't want to cut the day short but-"
"Don't be silly, I get it," Peach snapped her fingers and one of her guards was there in a second. "Pay the bill, we're leaving."
XxX
Ike smirked like he had never smirked before as he sat across from the king of Hyrule, the man's most likely botoxed face showing every bit of annoyance and confusion as Ike read the letter once more. "Your translator got it wrong," he said again, "and you and everyone around here have been shunning Crimea because of it. No one thought to point this out at some point and say 'hey this isn't correct' because no one around here speaks Crimean. I do."
"Are you positive?" the king looked up at him and Ike nodded.
"I think it's time you call the new president and schedule a golf game or something. Stop this bullshit."
"I have my own reason for my dislike of you and your kind," the King growled and Ike chuckled.
"Because of your late wife? I'm sorry about the affair but seeing how you treat Zelda and Link, I kinda get it." He watched the king's knuckles go white as his hands clenched to fists.
"Zelda was my golden child, everything was working perfectly and she goes and gets knocked up by a Crimean dog."
"It takes two to tango sir," Ike said firmly, "if you wanna hate anyone, hate me, don't take it out on her."
"Don't you dare-"
"I know about pregnancies being hard for the family," Ike leaned forward, "don't put stress on her over this. You wanna take me out back and shoot me? That's fine, I get that, but don't you dare take it out on her. She's doing a damn good job here, I did my research. She's under enough stress, she doesn't need you adding to it." He sat back, watching the emotions dance in the king's eyes.
"You're one to talk," he sneered. "You impregnated my daughter and haven't done anything to help. How do you think she feels knowing that the man whose child she carries won't be there-"
"I'm here," he growled.
"Not really though right? You're here in the shadows, screwing with her mind." Ike swallowed down a stream of curses, clenching his jaw to keep them in.
"Sir," he said tightly, "if I tried to step from the shadows would you like that? For the world to know that your daughter is carrying my child? If so then-"
"I want you to leave and never step foot in my country again. I will even pay you to go, how's that sound?" Ike stood up, anger overcoming him.
"You can take every single rupee you have and shove it up your ass. I care about her, I'm not going anywhere." With that he turned and left the office, letting the door slam behind him.
XxX
"Zelda's back," Rosalina smiled at Ike as he moved past her in the hallway.
"Where is she?" he asked and Rosalina cleared her throat.
"Right now she's putting away the clothes from the shopping spree in her room."
"Thanks Rosalina," he smiled at her and she nodded. "Hey um," he stepped closer to her, "keep her away from Link for a while. He's got a bug and I don't want her catching it."
"Understood," Rosalina made a note in her tablet, "should I call the doctor for him?"
"Nah," Ike shook his head, "he's being stubborn just... Make sure she stays away okay?"
"Of course." Ike nodded and moved away, feeling like things were starting to be a bit more normal. He snorted at the thought. As if any part of this was normal.
"Oh Ike!" Peach's voice made him halt midstep, her strolling up to him with a smile. "How nice to run into you again."
"The pleasure is mine Princess. If you will excuse me though, I must have a word with Zelda-"
"Ike," she stepped closer to him and he backed up quickly. She giggled at his reaction. "I don't bite."
"I would hope not but-"
"You're a handsome Crimean man running around here... It raises a few questions."
"Like what?" he asked.
"Like... Why? Why is a man such as yourself even here?" Peach stepped closer to him and Ike backed up once more. His back hit the stone wall and he had a brief second of panic. Was she seriously going to flirt with him?
"I am here because I have my own damn reasons to be," Ike said and Peach tsked.
"Such language Ike, it's unbecoming." She reached up and touched his chest with a gentle hand. Ike caught her unwanted hand, unsure what she was doing but knowing this, whatever it was, needed to stop.
"Don't," he warned. "Zelda is my princess, not you."
"You're Crimean, you have a president."
"That's not what I meant," he said and Peach smiled.
"I knew it was you!" she clapped her hands together excitedly and he narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You're her baby daddy, aren't you?" He moved from the wall, going past her and her questions he was sure she had. He needed to talk to Zelda right away.
XxX
Zelda sighed as she looked at the dark blue nightie in her hands and tossed it in a drawer. "Stupid thing to buy, 'it'll look sexy' my ass." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed at a knock on her door. "Who's there?"
"It's me," Ike's voice made her heart skip a beat and she looked at her reflection quickly. She looked a bit frazzled, but there was nothing to do about that now.
"Come in," she called and in he strolled, his eyes landing on her with something she couldn't read. "Ike? Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he moved towards her and Zelda felt her heart speed up as he closed the distance between them, placing a gentle kiss to her lips as he wrapped his arms around her. "How was shopping?"
"Boring but fruitful," she indicated the bags of clothes and he chuckled.
"I want to go on a date with you," he said and she laughed lightly. "I'm serious, me and you, no one else, that way we can talk and put all the crap behind us." She bit her lower lip and he swallowed. "Yes? No?"
"Of course I would like that," she smiled and he hugged her, kissing her temple. "People will see though Ike, and-"
"Then we'll do it here, I'll cook you something and we can have a nice dinner."
"You can cook?" Zelda asked and he sniffed indignantly.
"I'll have you know I know my way around the kitchen." She smiled as she buried her face in his chest, trying not to think of the morning's activities her hormones kept reminding her of. "Zelda," he stepped back and pulled her to her bed, making her sit down on the edge, "I want more from you than just amazing sex alright? This is going to sound like a stupid thing but... I want you to be my girlfriend, I want to try to make this work." She felt tears well up in her eyes and he looked flustered. "What did I say? Why're you crying?" She couldn't answer him, all she could manage was to put a hand over her mouth and sniff. "Zelda I-"
"I want that too," she whispered and he let out a breath. She held out her arms and he held her, her face buried in his stomach.
"When are you free my princess?" he asked and she laughed softly at his words.
"Tonight."
"Alright... Where the hell is the kitchen?"
XXX
And thank you for reading! Also, big shout out to you concisponci for reviewing like the awesomeness you are! Until next time! Much love, Leigh