Hi Guys! I hope you are all still enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying writing it. I'm amazed that I've had 1650 hits now. Wow! Anyway, because this chapter was rather long, I've split it into two halves to make it easier to read. Enjoy...
Oh yeah, I've not disclaimered for a while, so here goes - I don't own any Nintendo characters. I wish I owned Link.
Chapter Sixteen - Princess Zelda?
(Zelda's POV)
Priya is entertaining and everything I wanted to be as a child. She has not been raised to respect the boundaries imposed by politeness and decorum. I am not envious – for it is futile to pine for what one can never have – but I am regretful. I wish I too had been brought up in this cocoon of safety and freedom. Not for my mother the life of the palace – the endless scandal, the endless restriction, the endless pretence of it all – no, she lived here in absolute freedom and her children reflect that.
Elliot is a sweet little boy, he looks a lot like Link - he has the same big blue eyes and reticent manner. He has my mother's golden hair though. Now that I have met them both I feel an emptiness in my heart. I know that once I leave this place, our interaction will be over. I cannot take them to the castle and pronounce them the bastard children of Queen Helene.
Link is already making his plans for departure. I have seen him often in secret conversation with Queen Ruto, no doubt about me, for their voices hush as I enter the room or if I get too close. He is with her now, with his friend Rheyan, who I have learnt is actually the heir to the Zora throne. He does not strike me as particularly princely in his demeanour. Nor are his endless piercings and tattoos to my taste. Nevertheless, his people admire him and he has a certain kind of strength about him, which I have learnt to trust and I believe he has my best interests at heart.
Whether that will lead me to accept the propose alliance between our countries is another matter though.
Neither he nor Ruto have suggested it to me yet, but I know that is what the Queen is thinking. Alliances are often forged between two nations through the medium of marriage, and I am certain that my father will be quick to perceive the advantages that this particular match could offer him. It would certainly heal the hurt between our peoples.
I am not so sure myself. I am yet to determine whether this doubt is related to my lukewarm apathy towards my intended suitor or the fact that I am a little too attached to my attendant.
I have to be hasty to dismiss thoughts of him from my mind as soon as they enter. It is far too dangerous to think of him like this. Link is a commoner, and not even the most benevolent of Hylians or the most romantic soul would countenance any kind of interaction between us. And as a role model to my people, I too must dismiss all improper thoughts of him from my mind.
It is easier said than done. I knew it would be. I wish that there was something I could do to curb my heart and become the sensible creature I had once been but there is nothing I can think of that will help.
Ever since he rescued me from my prison, I have become more and more aware of him. Whilst I might be able to control this impulse when I am awake, I cannot contain my dreams. He haunts them to a worrying degree, not worrying because of their nature, but the way that I enjoy them so. In my dreams I can experience the freedom that I never will in my life. In my dreams he may take my hand without fear of anyone seeing us. He can whisper words to me that are forbidden in real life. I can feel the protection of his arms around me without that feeling of dread, knowing that at any moment we could be caught and he would be taken away from me. He could kiss me.
That is the part when I always wake up. Having never been kissed I cannot allow my imagination to second-guess what such an experience would be like. I should think it would be rather wonderful.
Of course, I can picture the moment happening – I am not so naive that I do not know how people kiss. I just do not know how I would feel. Would I be surprised, alarmed, amazed or just happy?
"You're smirking again." Remarks Priya as she passes me, snapping me back into the cruel reality of life.
"Smirking?" I repeat the word distastefully. "Princesses do not smirk."
"You were." She replies simply.
I wonder if Link has noticed her authoritarian manner yet? I think she likes to manage everybody around her. At the moment, I find this amusing, but I should imagine that after a while, it would become irritating. She casts her brown eyes around the room and whispers to me,
"I had another vision again last night."
Ah, her visions. The ones I am supposed to have. I try not to roll my eyes at her words. All I have heard from the Zora is how wonderful little Priya is at foretelling the future and how she has these amazing visions. It is a good thing I do not care about being the "Princess of Destiny" otherwise their words would seriously undermine my confidence. Since I have been here, Priya has had more 'visions' than ever before. I have heard it whispered amongst my Zora hosts, that it is not due to my presence here, but the presence of one whom is known to hold a piece of the Triforce in his blood. In other words, it is all Link's doing.
As ever, when those seven words come forth from Priya's little mouth, a Zora or two appears. Magical.
"Oh, little Priya – tell us what you saw." They chorus enthusiastically. The vision will be relayed in all it's obscure detail and will then be relayed to the Queen. The Queen also seems to have magical powers for she then interprets the dream to her subordinates. The ones I have been privileged enough to hear so far are either obscure and gloomy or obscure and ridiculous. Personally I wonder if Priya's 'visions' are in fact just the dreams she can remember.
It would probably be considered blasphemy if I put my thoughts into words so I hold my peace and listen with half an ear to the rambling nonsense coming from my sibling's mouth. It is something about ponies and butterflies and me…
Wait – me?
"Then Zelda ran up to Link and they kissed…"
"I beg your pardon." I interrupt this vision with little compunction. She has already cast suspicion on my relationship with him as it is with her artless prattling observations of our interaction; she cannot sprout more of this nonsense!
The Zora are horrified. "P-princess, please – this is a vision. It is important that we hear…"
"You are hearing nothing but the dreams of an innocent who has nothing better to do than read fairytales." So I have stated my beliefs but I do not care. I kneel before Priya and take her hands in mind. "Priya, listen to me – you cannot just pass your dreams off as visions. It is wrong."
She shakes my hand off her wrists and to my horror, huge tears well in her eyes and her bottom lip trembles. "They are visions." She sulks. The two Zora that accompany her are already knelt at her side comforting her. I feel a little bad.
Not bad enough to apologise though. I glare sternly at her. "I do not wish to cast aspersions on your abilities, however, I do not think that making up stories about me will win you any favours."
"I did see." She replies quietly. She glares back at me - those brown eyes are scarily familiar. "You kissed Link."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"And then what happened?" I ask, hopefully some of my overbearing tone will get through that thick little skull of hers and she will hush.
"Then darkness shrouded you both and Link vanished." She finishes smugly. "You were left alone weeping and heartbroken and then I saw a rainstorm that smothered the whole world."
That was a nasty little vision, now was it not? "How sweet." I remark aloud. The Zora watch me curiously, a little distastefully even. I sigh and try not to roll my eyes. As much as I love my new siblings, I cannot help but be exasperated by them. Well, by Priya mainly. What irritates me is the way that the Zora hang on to her every word as if she is some kind of a goddess.
"We must tell Queen Ruto." One of them mutters. I glare at them in turn, and they cringe.
"I could explain this dream to you." I announce suddenly. I would pretend to believe this rubbish than let Ruto hear my sister's latest imaginings. I do not want another half-day lecture on the unacceptable nature of my supposed intimacy with a subordinate (namely Link).
"You could explain it, Princess?" The other Zora asks. They glance at one another, and although I cannot see their expression clearly, I can sense that they are uneasy.
"I certainly could." I lie. I close my eyes and think about what Priya talked about – shadows, Link and I. I make a show of holding my right hand to my breast, I hope it fools those stupid Zora into thinking I am using the power of the Triforce. With surprising clarity I suddenly remember that weird dream I had, not a few days ago – there was darkness and shadow there. And Link was there too, and to be fair, he was pretty friendly with me then…
That is strange actually. I thought it was a bad dream, but I have never had a dream like that before – one with such alarming clarity and such fear.
I shake my head, away from thoughts of that night, away from my imprisonment and concentrate on the matter in hand. I must come up with a plausible explanation of why Priya dreamt that I kissed Link. And then it hits me, of course – I can just use one of Link's stories. Finally, his obsession with his ancestors might just come in handy.
"Priya's vision was of the first Princess Zelda and the Hero of Time, Link. It was a well-documented rumour that they were lovers for a while. In their time, great darkness shrouded the land through the evil King Ganondorf, and at the end of it all, Link was sent home, back to his childhood. He vanished soon after, leaving the Princess alone. The rain represented her tears when she lost him. There are parallels to our day – Link has been reborn because there is… um… darkness coming, and I have been reborn to guide him. Link and I fight together and protect one another, but we fight our own battles." I open my eyes and gauge my audience's reaction to this. My explanation seems plausible even to me, and I seem to have convinced them.
"It was a vision of the first Zelda and Link?" One of them mutters.
"Yes." I answer, although he did not actually ask a question of me. "They were the first of a long line of Heroes and Heroines who protect this country and though they were close, their descendant's have never been as intimate as they were although apparently our looks remain almost identical. I suppose it would be easy to confuse me with my ancestress."
They seem suitably abashed and I know that they will relay my explanation to their delightful Queen. I smile irritatingly at them, and excuse myself. I have a good mind to instruct Link to take me home right away. I am tired of being in the Zora's Domain. I cannot be at peace here.
Link is praying when I eventually meet up with him. I know I should not eavesdrop, but I can hardly be expected not to when he is talking about me, can I? I tread softly forward, telling myself that I do not want to disturb him in his prayers. That is the reason for my furtiveness. It is not at all that I wish to hear what he talks to the gods about.
Unfortunately, I cannot hear his words, and I do not know how to read lips. He also knows I am watching him - I see his head move slightly in my direction as he addresses his gods. I am not mistaken, for in no time at all, he is back on his feet and smiling at me. I can see that he looks troubled and I feel an instant reaction in my heart as our eyes meet. I sometimes want to embrace him and help him wash away all that trouble. I know it would be completely improper for me, so I am forced to remain indifferent. I know this behaviour leads people to think that I am cold, but what choice do I have? I must retain my dignity as Princess of Hyrule.
It is very hard to behave like a princess when Link looks so unhappy. "What is wrong?" I ask gently. I fear very much that some of my emotion has seeped into my voice, for Link seems surprised by my words.
"Nothing. I am fine, Princess." He relies. I know he is lying because of the way his cheeks flush slightly and he glances to the left. Perhaps I have become too attached to him, to notice such a little thing must mean I am too close to him, must it not?
I almost want to demand he tells me the truth, but that would offend and hurt him, and I like him too much to want to do that. Besides, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to tease the truth out of him. "So, what do you think about Priya?" My assault begins.
I am not altogether surprised to find this question makes Link look even more uncomfortable. Seems my intuition was not wrong after all. He turns away from me and he wrings his hands.
"Link?"
"I don't know…" It is like the words are being dragged from his mouth. His knuckles gleam white against his skin, a sure sign he is distressed. "I have been told many things about you both but I… Princess, I cannot alter what I believe, and I trust what the king has said on this matter. I know that I am tied irrevocably tied to my destiny – I know that I hold the Triforce of Courage, for I feel its power."
"That is why you were brought to the castle, was it not? For your power." I remember that day with mixed feelings. I was so different then, so arrogant and foolish. I have grown up a lot.
"I was brought in to protect you." He answers. Our eyes meet again and for a moment, I can see a strange emotion lurking in their depths. It makes my pulse race and my breath catch in my throat. Fortunately for me, he turns away before this ridiculous feeling takes hold.
"I am glad you were." The words jump from my mouth before I can stop them. Our eyes meet again and suddenly I get the strangest feeling that my heart has just stopped beating.
"Are you?" I hear him whisper, damn him and his beautiful eyes. "I never regret that day." He smiles slightly at me but I can still see the hurt in his eyes. I know I should stop this right now, but I cannot look away. I like the way my breath is quickened and the way my cheeks are blushing slightly. I like the way he is looking at me, and the reluctant smile that is twisting his mouth, and the way his hair is flopping into his eyes. It is all I can do to stop myself holding out my hands to him. I can tell myself off all I want, but it seems that nothing will stop me from treading this most foolish path. I have to be stronger than this – I must remember to control myself.
"Princess Zelda?"
The words seem to snap us both back into reality. Even though we are standing apart, we both take a guilty step back and turn towards the entrance. Rheyan stands there. I do not know whether to be relieved or irritated. He has a rather stern look about him and now I know my cheeks are burning again. "O-oh, Rheyan…" I hear myself speak with surprise. My voice is shaken. This can only look bad.
"Queen Ruto wishes to speak to you." He announces. Am I imagining things, or is his manner a little cold today?
"I will attend to her at once." I reply with mechanical civility. I could be mistaken, but I feel that ever since I have been here in the Zora's domain, I have seen less and less of Link. I sometimes feel that they are trying to drive a wedge between us. Of course, that is nonsense. There is no reason for them to do so they cannot seriously believe that we are in a relationship, can they? "Please excuse me, Sir Link."
I can barely meet his eyes as I bid him farewell but even in that tiny glimpse I get of him, I can see there is something terrible disturbing his peace. He bows with the greatest formality and smiles at Rheyan as if nothing has happened. Yet he knows, as I do, that there is something building between us that cannot be controlled or denied.
Part One done, part two is only a click away!