Zelda smiled nervously as she was led through hallways filled with foreign artwork and scrolls, the president's aide chatting nonstop with Ike as they went. Apparently not even walking towards the most powerful and influencial man in Crimea could dampen Ike's spirits because as they walked he teased the aide about the odd little tie pin he was wearing, saying something about how the aide should know better than to back that team. Whatever the joke was, it went over her head but the two were laughing and seemed to be getting along just fine. Finally they came to a door guarded by two men in fitted suits, headsets in their ears. "Okay, here we are," the aide sighed nervously as he looked to Zelda. "He's easygoing don't worry but just be warned if he gets onto the story about his wife and the eucalyptus oil just... tune out for five minutes and then nod along, you won't miss much." Ike chuckled and Zelda looked up at him.
"You okay?" Ike asked softly and she nodded slowly. He looked back to the aide and nodded. "We're ready." The aide nodded and opened the door.
"Mr. President? Princess Zelda Nohansen of Hyrule and her boyfriend Ike Greil," with that Zelda entered the office, a practiced smile on her lips. The man behind the desk stood up, much younger than Zelda would have thought. His light blue hair was spiky much like Ike's, his eyes mismatched, and two strips of hair striped his cheeks. He looked like he wasn't much older than Ike and when he smiled, his teeth looked alarmingly sharp.
"It's an honor to meet you Princess Zelda," he said in a careful voice.
"The honor is mine, Mr. President," she said and Ike stepped forward with an outstretched hand.
"Ah a Laguz running the joint," Ike grinned and the president laughed as he scratched at what Zelda was alarmed to realize were in fact clipped cat ears.
"Cat Laguz, what can I say?" he shrugged and motioned for them to sit. "So, what brings you here?" he asked as he turned to Zelda.
"Well Mr. President-"
"Can we drop the formalities?" he said with a scowl as he tugged on his tie to loosen it. "Everyone calls me that, the name's Ranulf."
"Then call us Ike and Zelda," Ike said with a grin as he sat. "For the record, I voted for you."
"Thanks," Ranulf grinned and looked between them. "Does this meeting have anything to do with the rumors of you being pregnant?" he asked after a moment. "For the princess of Hyrule to show up with a guy like this-"
"Watch it," Ike said with a grin and Zelda couldn't believe her ears. Ike was treating the leader of his homeland as if he was just another buddy he would grab a beer with after work. "And yes, she's pregnant with my child."
"How in the hell does that even happen? How'd you guys even meet? I've been locked permanantly on hold with the king's office and I'm the damn president!"
"We met at a bar on Isle Delphino," Zelda answered and the president grinned, flashing sharp teeth that she thought looked very feline.
"Who talked who into leaving?"
"I asked her to leave, she demanded we go back to my motel," Ike said and Zelda rolled her eyes with a smile. "Do not let her tell you otherwise."
"Well, whoever the culprit is," the president slapped a hand on the desk, "I'm glad because this whole thing is bullshit and needs to stop."
XxX
An hour passed and Zelda sat there in stunned silence as the man she was in love with chatted up his president like they were old pals from school. They were laughing, joking, swapping stories, and even giving each other good natured shit about their races. Ike made a jab about tongue baths, Ranulf fired back with his wife never seemed to mind, and Ike countered with maybe he had some Laguz in him too because Zelda never seemed to mind either, much to her alarm. The tense and stressful meeting she had expected turned into something completely different as the president and Ike were now doing push ups one armed on the floor, laughing and joking as they did. Finally Ranulf shook his head and hopped to his feet, Ike following suit with a proud grin. In that moment, when Ranulf slapped Ike on the arm with a smile, Zelda realized that Ike was born for politics. He may not like the idea, but his charisma, personality, and silver tongue made him a perfect politician. He was incredible, and as he started telling a story about a fire on the oil rig, the president sat entranced.
"...the poor bastard just flew off the side like a damn ragdoll. It was the most terrifying thing to see... but it was also kinda funny," Ike said and the president laughed and shook his head.
"I could never work out at sea like that," he shuddered. "Maybe it's the cat thing."
"Well it's not too bad once you get used to the constant motion and stop puking your meals up."
"Mr. President?" the aide from earlier poked his head in the door.
"What?" Ranulf sighed.
"I apologize for the interruption but your wife is on line two and she says it's an emergency."
"Ugh," the president leaned on his desk and scooped up his phone. "To her," he said to Ike and Zelda before answering, "an emergency is a cockroach in the kitchen. Yes dear?" he answered the call and rolled his eyes. "Hmm well I'll have to look at it when I get home tonight. Uh huh, well yes but... I'm in the middle of the meeting with the princess right now. Yes she's pre... the father's right here he's Crimean. Yes the one on the news. Uh huh. Yes. Okay, okay I'll invite them. Yes bye. What? Love you too." He hung up and Ike chuckled. "My wife always insists on planning these banquets and then when the deadlines come up and nothing is done she panics and I end up working my people to the bone to get it all done on time. And you," he pointed at them with a smirk, "are all over the news. I would love to see how your daddy reacted to that very public display of affection."
"Ha," Ike threw back his head and laughed, "I would have paid good money for that."
"Oh, before I forget, would you two like to attend the banquet? It's a dinner benefitting soldiers and their families. If you want I can have the official invite in your hands in two minutes but-"
"We'd love to," Ike answered and then looked at Zelda. "Looks like you'll get me in a tux again Princess."
XxX
Ike grinned as they stepped into the confines of his mother's house. "So did I do alright?" he asked and Zelda laughed a tired little sound.
"You," she wrapped her arms around his waist, "did amazing. Thank you." Ike grinned as he pressed a kiss into her hair. "That went so much better than I ever hoped it would."
"Well," Ike pulled her chin up, "the world knows about you and me now."
"No more hiding any of this," she said softly and Ike rested his hand against her stomach, a grin coming to his lips to feel the once completely flat stomach now poking out just a touch.
"I don't want to. I have nothing to hide."
"You two are adorable," Elena said as she stepped into the living room from the kitchen and Ike smiled at his mother. "Did you know my son made the news today?"
"Crimea's most wanted report?" Ike asked and Zelda laughed.
"More like Hyrule's," she said and he grinned at her. "Goddesses I don't even want to know what my father has to say about that."
"Fuck him," Elena and Ike said in unison.
XxX
"Mom?" Ike stepped into what used to be his parent's bedroom cautiously. His mother sat on her bed, brushing out her long blue hair slowly, a distracted smile on her lips. "You okay?"
"I like that one honey," she said as she looked up at him. "Even if she wasn't carrying your child... she's my favorite one you've ever brought by to meet me."
"She's amazing Mom," Ike sat on the bed next to her, looking at the beautiful face he used to watch everyday, taking in every delicate line and start of a wrinkle. "You know yesterday when you said the thing about me and how I take my responsibilities very seriously?"
"Yes... Go on honey," Elena coaxed and Ike sighed heavily.
"I'm... I love her Mom. It's crazy I know, we haven't known each other long at all but I feel like I've known her forever. I wake up and she's the first thing I think about, but it's not just because I'm waking up beside her it's like... I want this with her, I want to be hers." Elena opened her arms and Ike leaned into them, soaking up the love his mother had always exuded when he needed it. They stayed that way for a long silent moment until Elena pulled away.
"I," she said as she stood and moved to her dresser, "am going to give you something Ike. Something you must promise me you'll only use if and when the time is right okay?"
"Okay..?" he watched his mother pull on a drawer to her jewelry box and he let out a nervous chuckle. "Mom it might be a long while before I-"
"I know but this way if and when you need it you'll have it."
XxX
Ike grinned like a fool as he laid there that night holding Zelda in the darkened room. Her breath was deep and borderline a snore, a fact that made him grin wider. He held one arm around her, the other fiddling with the gift from his mother. The small thing wasn't much, certainly not something that a princess would look twice at, but she wasn't just a princess. She was his girlfriend, the mother of their unborn child, the woman he was in love with. He eased the thin golden band onto Zelda's finger, a small smile replacing his grin as he felt that it fit. One day... maybe he'd put it to good use. For now though he eased it off her finger and gripped it tightly in a balled up fist.
XXX
A little fluff to brighten your day at the end. For those of you who don't know (why would you? creeper get out of my head) I wrote Ranulf as the president for one person and one person only. I apologize for my lack of updating... I am not going to lie I got excited about other ideas and when that happens if I don't just do it I will think about it nonstop until I do so... better to just get it over with. Thank you for reading and THANK YOU to my reviewers (I love you). Let me know what you think! Much love, Leigh