Hey guys! Here's chapter thirty-eight! I have some shout-outs though, so here it goes :)
Beforethedawnbreaks: I'm glad I got my point across! Tex: Thank you very much, I appreciate the review :D BrittanyGlambertAlsoZeldaFan:YOU'RE WELCOME! Caine is quite abominable, is he not? hahaha Thegunslinger82: YOU'RE NICER. muzy95: I'm glad you think that way, because I DO TOO. HeckGirl96: I'm going as fast as I can, and thank you! eragoninsanity: I'm glad my cappies...'pwn.' hahaha thanks ;) Pegasus6644: I don't know why I'm giving you a shout-out. I tell you I love you like, literally EVERYDAY.
Saria Forest14: I will most definitely take that into consideration, and thanks! Separation is always hard :P Luthien-Surion: You were right about Caine. Hahahaha destroyer124: I'M SO HAPPY YOU LOVE IT! TheSageOfHyrule: I love the enthusiasm! NinjaSheik: Zelda is VERY angry, yes. HeckGirl96 (again): I'm not even sure if Zelda's actually eighteen...or seventeen...or what. But whatever age she is, Link's the same :) ziggyricer9615: Nice catch! This chapter was inspired by American History hahaha. PookiChoco: your review made me laugh really hard. HAHAHA. shabba: Politics ARE difficult, aren't they? hahaha terra ridge: SHE IS! MikieJoe: thanks for the encouragement buddy :) madchickenlover: has Zelda ever been seen more than three times in the game?...I think not. hahaha thanks for the review ;) Young at Heart21: thanks so much! and Zelda IS going to blow her top haha
anonymous viewer with no name: well the story is actually written in something called 'third-person limited', which means it's like 'he, she, they,' but it only shows one character's thoughts and point of view. THANK THOUGH! TwinTailedninja29: you have no idea how good that makes me feel! SHANKS. XxSecretStoriesxX: It's not just another review! EVERY SINGLE ONE IS IMPORTANT...which is why I'm giving these shout-outs ;) madnessman: I will most certainly keep it up :)
WOOOOO! Sorry about that. Had to get some things off of my chest hahaha :P now for the actual chapter you've all been waiting for! (I hope). Enjoy! :D
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Pocket-Sized Book
Zelda was speechless. Her jaw dropped as she stared at Caine, disgusted by the condescending look on his face. He simply stared back at her evenly, the edges of his lips curving up. The supercilious man wasn't afraid to show his triumphant feelings, and Zelda found it absolutely abominable. His green eyes were slightly narrowed, and there was a mischievous glint in them. Zelda felt chills run across her body.
"...You what?" she finally managed. Her voice was dangerously low, a sign that her temper was rising rapidly and without harness. She could feel the pot of anger being set to boil inside of her.
"I said," Caine cleared his throat. "We already decided to pass the new taxes. We have already voted, and it's unanimous."
"Unanimous?" Zelda repeated, slightly shocked at that fact.
How could the vote be unanimous? There's no possible way that everybody but me thinks that this tax should be passed...
"Princess, are you all right?" one of the council members asked. Zelda just stared down at the table, her eyes mindlessly scanning the intricate designs. "You look very pale, your Highness."
She heard Caine sigh, as if in a sarcastic manner. Though Zelda didn't care to admit it, she was feeling extremely lightheaded, and harbored the fear that she was going to be sick. Nothing was going the way she'd planned...nothing, and it was starting to get to her. She felt the need to bolt out of the room and get out of that atmosphere, and the world around her was spinning only slightly.
"Zelda, dear?" Rolph laid his hand on her back comfortingly as she took deep breaths. She didn't reply for fear that when she opened her mouth, words weren't the only things that would come out. This was not like her, not like her at all.
"Perhaps we should adjourn for the time being?" Caine suggested haughtily. "We could reassemble tomorrow, at the stroke of noon, could we not? The Princess obviously doesn't feel well..." Zelda could sense the mockery and triumph behind his sweet, deceitful words.
"Caine is right," Rolph agreed immediately. "Princess, go to your room and rest for a bit, eh?" he continued, murmuring soothingly in Zelda's ear.
She could only manage a nod, and clutched her stomach discreetly. She didn't want anybody to know of her feelings, especially not Caine.
"Do you need any assistance?" Rolph asked. Zelda shook her head as she stood up, but as soon as she did, she teetered dizzily and used the table to steady herself. Her headache was becoming unbearable. Rolph stood up as well, gripping her arm to keep her steady. Zelda put a hand to her forehead, squeezing her eyes tightly.
"Princess, please get some rest," Rolph said, concern written on his wise features. Zelda could barely manage a nod. But then Rolph's comforting words were replaced by horrifying ones. "Caine, please help the princess to her room."
Oh, great, Zelda thought angrily as Caine obediently stood up.
"Of course," he bowed his head pretentiously, making his way around the table to Zelda's side. "Allow me, Princess."
He put his arm out nonchalantly, feigning concern. With reluctance completely evident in her actions, Zelda hesitantly linked her arm through his, and though she hated to admit it, it helped her stay balanced. Caine was actually quite muscular, and he had a steady build that kept Zelda standing. But by that time, the world was spinning and it felt like nails were being hammered into her brain; she couldn't have cared less about who was helping her.
"Feel better, your Highness," all of the members chanted as Caine began slowly leading Zelda out of the room. She tried to smile, but it came off as more of a grimace. Caine was silent, and he stood with his back straight and his head held high as he provided support for the princess, no matter how reluctant he might've been to supply the assistance.
Even the small clunk of the door closing behind them made Zelda flinch, and she put her free hand to her forehead. Her teeth were discreetly clenched, and she prayed that she wouldn't faint in Caine's presence; it would be absolutely humiliating, and moreover, it would satisfy the pretentious man.
"How are you doing, Princess? Can you make it up the stairs?" Caine asked as they approached the foot of the stairwell leading to Zelda's chambers. His voice showed no concern whatsoever, and Zelda held back a look of disgust. Now, the colors all around her were brighter than usual, and stars appeared all throughout her vision.
"Y-yes, I can make it," Zelda replied, gazing absentmindedly at the dark flight of stairs. Caine raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes, knowing that in her current state, Zelda wouldn't be able to really catch his hint of arrogance.
"Very well, let us go," he continued, and stepped onto the first stair. He gently pulled Zelda upwards, but as soon as she tried to complete the movement, she toppled forward. With a quiet gasp of surprise, Caine caught her and bent forward. Zelda groaned, shutting her eyes for a few moments. While her eyes were still closed, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and lift her up. Then she felt as if he was being moved, and she ventured to open her eyes.
Caine had scooped her up in his arms and was now moving up the stairs. In any other circumstances, Zelda would've been repulsed and struggling to get out of his grasp. But in this case, she could do nothing but lean her head against his chest and silently conform. Her strength was seeping out of her, and she was still confused as to why that was happening. This had never happened to her before, and she didn't like the feeling...this feeling of helplessness.
"We have arrived, your Highness," he announced at the door to her chambers. His expression had remained cold and hard the entire journey, and it hadn't changed. Zelda blinked, her eyelids drooping heavily. Using his muscular shoulders, Caine managed to get the door of the room open, and then he carefully slipped inside.
"You may..." Zelda paused. "...Set me down, now, Caine,"
Obliging with a nod, Caine silently lowered her to her feet. He aided her in standing, keeping a firm grip on her arm. Extremely exhausted, Zelda leaned against the wall behind her and closed her eyes yet again, breathing heavily. Caine simply stood, watching her to make sure nothing happened. Reluctantly, Zelda opened her eyes and looked at him. For a split second, he seemed genuinely worried. No, it couldn't have been so. Surely her eyes were only playing tricks on her.
"Thank you, Caine," it felt like poison on her tongue, but she needed to say it, for the sake of being polite and the princess. Caine didn't even crack a smile, but stepped forward and nodded sternly.
"You're welcome," his eyes narrowed suddenly, and he stepped even closer. Zelda was barely aware of that fact. But before she knew it, he put out his left arm against the wall and leaned in so that his face was only inches from hers.
Suddenly, she could see everything clearly.
"Princess," his voice was soft, gentle, and kind. With his other hand, he traced her lips, and then his light fingers moved down to her neck. Zelda wanted to push him away, but couldn't find the strength. Guilt washed over her as Link's face appeared in her mind, and a rush of adrenaline and horror pulsed through her body, and she sucked in an anxious breath.
"Listen to me...and listen clearly," Without warning, his tone turned harsh and threatening, but his hand remained lingering against her exposed collarbone. "I have worked night and day to be here."
She felt a burst of fear inside her, but she restrained it and kept it hidden. There was a flash of horrible fury and hunger in his eyes, and it directly pierced Zelda's soul. He moved closer so that his lips were hovering directly over hers, and Zelda tried to shrink back, but the wall prevented her from doing so.
"Caine, stop," she turned her face away, but he continued relentlessly. "Please," The anger she had felt only minutes ago was replaced by fear and a sense of absolute exhaustion.
"I will not let you get in the way of my success, Zelda," his breath was warm against her cheek, and she felt horrified at his actions...and his words. "I am willing to do anything to get what I want in the Royal Council. Now that I'm here, I want to make a difference in Hyrule, and I want to do it my way."
"You're not the princess," Zelda managed to reply meekly, though inside, the words sounded much stronger.
"That's why I'm telling you this," his bone-chilling fingers ran down the back of her neck, and then down her back. She got cold, harsh shivers. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get my rules instigated in Hyrule. And I won't let anything, especially you, get in my way."
As if suddenly repulsed by her figure, he backed away, leaving Zelda completely awestruck. Giving her one last glare, he walked out of the door and slammed it behind him. Flinching, Zelda ran a hand over her face. Her stress had just doubled, and now she was literally afraid of what Caine would do to her should she soil his plans...which she planned on doing. She would most definitely risk her life for the good of Hyrule.
Zelda was feeling literally ten times better when she awoke the next morning, and she was more than ready to fight back against Caine. When noon arrived, she smirked; she prayed for the council's sake that they were as ready as she was.
"As we said yesterday," Caine began after they were in session. "The vote is unanimous to pass these taxes." He shot Zelda glare, and there was malice in every atom of his body.
"Actually," the princess paused, mulling things over in her head for a bit. She felt power surging through her veins, as if it were a sign that she had the ability to change this. She was, after all, princess of Hyrule. Not even Caine could deny that fact. "I believe that, being princess and head of the Royal Council, I have the ability to veto any laws passed, do I not?"
"I beg to differ, Princess," Caine bowed his head. Zelda could see right through his feigned respect. She felt as if he was mocking her, and it made her skin crawl in repugnance. "I took a deeper look, and I found this."
Without waiting for the princess to respond, Caine smirked and reached into his petticoat. From it, he pulled out a small, pocketsize booklet. Leaning back in his chair arrogantly, he slid the book across the table, and it appeared in front of Zelda. She simply stared at it with a look of abhorrence.
"If you would, turn to page 194," Caine suggested. Zelda, though she wouldn't dare say a word, did as he said. With fingers shaking in rage, she began flipping through the yellowing pages of the old pamphlet. She knew that she recognized it, but she couldn't put her finger on it, and the title on the brown cover was too faded to tell.
"What is this, Caine?" Zelda asked, without looking up at him, as she came upon the page. The writing is small, and the princess, even with her keen eyesight, had to squint to make out the words.
"I'm sure you could figure it out," Caine raised his eyebrows, leisurely putting his hands behind his head. "It's quite obvious, after all."
Zelda had the urge to dismiss him because of his rude behavior, but controlled herself. She would never dare to admit it, but Caine was an important part of the Council. After Zelda, he was by far the most brilliant of the members, and he had such a devious mind as which could sometimes be useful. He could defend his points like no other (which sometimes worked to Zelda's disadvantage), and he had an incredible work ethic. Zelda would never say that aloud, for the sake of her own pride and the denial of his satisfaction. Dismissing him wouldn't be the best idea. And also...she didn't want anybody to become suspicious of his threat to her. That would only make the situation more complicated and hurt her integrity. Caine would still be triumphant.
After quickly scanning the words on the page with intent eyes, Zelda discovered it.
"This is Hyrule's ancient set of laws," she realized. "This hasn't been looked at in decades."
"Centuries, actually," Caine took a deep breath, leaning forward again. "Also, its laws haven't been needed ever since you came to the throne. And for that, we commend you," Caine grinned. Though the words were deceiving, Zelda could see the malicious intent in his eyes. The other members nodded in agreement, murmuring momentarily to each other.
"However, in light of the current circumstances, I found it necessary to look into this in your absence," Caine continued. As he spoke, his green eyes glistened, and a small, bright blond curl fell across his pale, clear forehead. "And I found something very interesting about the princess's powers as head of the Council."
Zelda's stomach dropped as she looked over the set of rules, and all of the blood drained from her face. She could tell by Caine's smug expression that her plight was noticeable, and he was indubitably feeling victorious. Zelda, in one of those rare yet devastating moments, felt defeated. It was something she barely experienced, the feeling of defeat. The worst defeat she'd ever felt had been when Zant had invaded Hyrule, and Zelda had been forced to surrender. Simply thinking about that moment gave her chills, and she actually held back tears. However, they quickly subsided.
"I..." she opened her mouth to argue, but could find no arguments. The words were plain and simple in front of her. She was shocked that she hadn't known about this rule in the first place; otherwise, she might've been able to stop this before it happened.
"If a new law proposed by any members of the Royal Council, no matter of what age or status that member is, it must be voted upon. If the law is unanimously voted to be passed by every single member of the Council save the head, then the head of the Council has no power to veto said law. However, if there is but one person who votes otherwise, then the head of the Council does have the power to veto it." Cain quoted. They were word for word from the book, and Zelda had nothing to say.
Caine had just proven that there was nothing Zelda could do about this. Unless...
"Do you understand what this means?" Caine raised an eyebrow, almost evilly. "It means that if everybody votes yes on a law, you don't have the power to veto that law."
Zelda bit back her nasty retort; princesses always maintain composure.
"Going off of that," he continued. "Everybody voted yes. So you can't say no."
"I want proof," Zelda finally stated. Caine furrowed his brow, confused. "I want a second vote. Surely I can request that."
Caine blinked, slightly taken aback. He obviously hadn't been ready for that suggestion.
"I agree!" Rolph stepped in, smiling uncertainly at the princess. "Since the Princess wasn't here when we took the vote, we should vote again." Caine glared at Rolph, as if he were about to jump across the table and attack him.
"Very well," he said, reluctantly and through gritted teeth.
"Read the law you wish to pass, please," Zelda ordered, with a gesture of her hand toward Caine. She saw his jaw tensing as he reached once again into his petticoat, pulling out a large, rolled parchment. Unrolling it, he narrowed his eyes somewhat angrily.
He read it, and Zelda could tell that he was restraining a burst of fury. The law stated that a new set of taxes was to be put on all materials save food, and the annual taxes were to be increased from ten percent to thirty percent of annual salary. Just hearing those rules made the princess sigh heavily, and her stomach wouldn't cease doing its perturbing somersaults. She couldn't bear to think about the reaction of the people, and their eventual resentment toward the princess.
"All in favor, say 'Aye'," Caine finally ordered, placing the parchment on the table in front of them. At first, there was slight hesitation as all of the members looked around at each other, and at Zelda curiously. For those few moments, Zelda felt a flame of hope spark in her heart.
"Aye!"
The flame was put out by the number of hands that shot into the air.
It was unanimous. Even Rolph, one of her dearest friends and closest advisors, mumbled it. Zelda was horrified. It was done. There was nothing more she could do. The tax laws... were officially ratified.
"As you can see, our vote remains the same," Caine's tension slid away, leaving him haughty and victorious. It made Zelda's heart pound heavily, but she gathered her strength and stared shame right in the face.
"Yes, it evidently does," she stated indifferently, staring Caine straight in the eye. She could see in his features that he was slightly uncomfortable with her hard gaze focused intently on his face.
"Uh," he stuttered, but then blinked and turned away. Zelda smiled to herself. "Your signature is required."
He reached his arm across the table, handing Zelda the forsaken piece of parchment. With trembling hands, she took it in her grasp and laid it out in front of her. Through the entire process, her little inner voice shrieked irritably and warningly. Zelda reluctantly took her right hand and grabbed the quill in front of her, dipping it into the ink. Then, she lifted the quill to the blank space on the paper where she was to sign. It hovered over the page for a bit, a subtle sign of Zelda's hesitancy.
"Take your time," Rolph murmured, patting her shoulder. She discreetly shook his hand away so that only he could notice her displeasure. As the quill hovered, a splotch of black landed on the parchment. Ignoring the now dirty look of the page, Zelda finally did it. As she signed the paper with her beautiful, graceful writing, she felt as if she was engraving the words onto her own heart, and it was unfathomably painful.
"There," she muttered with the final swoosh of the 'A' at the end of her name. "It's done."
"Fantastic," Caine grinned, baring his straight white teeth. "Absolutely fantastic."
Guys, I just have one thing to say: 532 REVIEWS? QUUOOOOIII? OMFG thank you guys sooooooo much for everything! I can't even like believe this right now...I LOVE YOU ALL UNFATHOMABLY, AND THANK YOU!
P.S: if the whole "Caine=sexual/threat" thing is weird, TELL ME! hahahaha don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings ;)