Author's Note: I keep getting more follows/favorites, you guys are so amazing! So I'm going to the mountains for a few days, and I might not have wifi. If I do, I'll have the next chapter posted tomorrow, but no promises. However, I can promise that I'll do my best. All the support you guys give me is extremely encouraging, I can't even express how valuable each of you are to me. Thank you allll!
Disclaimer: Zelda goes to Nintendo. (Do I have to do this every time?)
"All the preparations are complete, Your Highness," A silver-clad soldier called to his Queen. "Are you ready for departure?"
"Yes, whenever the driver is ready." Queen Zelda stuck her head out the open flap of the covered wagon. The soldier called to the driver and immediately a whip sounded from the front. The horses started moving, dragging the caravan along behind them. The Queen peeked out at the assortment of soldier and servants who rode alongside her, carefully guarding the Queen's wagon. It was their duty to protect the royal family, even if some members refused the protection. Zelda sighed as she watched Link ride ahead with the other leading soldiers, chatting and laughing with them. When the voyage was first proposed, Link was given a seat next to the Queen in the royal caravan, but of course, he refused.
"King or not, it's still my job to protect the Queen and watch out for my men." Link had declared stubbornly. So instead of riding in the safety of the wagon, Link rode horseback with his soldiers, shooting down goblins all the way. Typical Link.
Zelda sighed and leaned back in her seat. She pulled an envelope from her bag, unfolded the paper content and raised it to her eyes.
"Your Highness, Queen Zelda,
I wish to bring the poor state of Kakariko Village to your attention. During the Twilight Invasion, our village suffered horribly, and the effects of that time still pry on us. I humbly plead you to send an inspector to view the damage of the village and perhaps set up a fund to repair some of the buildings. Thank you.
In All Respect,
Renaldo, Kakariko Village Shaman."
Zelda had received the letter the day after Link's Festival, which was two weeks past already. After much time and bargaining with the council, Zelda had decided to see the village herself. Part of the reason was to inspect the damage, but she also wanted to personally thank Renaldo for his contribution during the Invasion.
The sounds of shouting aroused Zelda from her thoughts. She cautiously peered out the wagon as a flaming arrow shot past. She gasped as her soldiers instantly flew into battle, shooting, stabbing, and fighting off goblin archers. A few guards had closed around Zelda's wagon, blocking the Queen from any stray arrows. Thanks to Link, most of the goblins were cleared in only minutes, but one remaining enemy drug itself up from the ground and took aim. Unfortunately, none of the soldiers noticed the goblin.
"Look out!" Zelda shouted, but the guards failed to hear her warning. Her eyes darted to the soldiers standing guard. None of them saw the threat. In a split second decision, Zelda lunged out of the protected caravan and rolled onto the damp grass of Hyrule Field. Her world slowed as she felt the bite of crisp morning air, the solid impact of the earth, the drops of dew seep into her dress. As soon as her body hit the ground, she rolled and propelled herself up on her feet.
"Queen Zelda!" She heard the guards yell frantically. The Queen ignored their protests. Instead, she pulled the bow off a guard's back and stole an arrow from his pouch. She set the arrow into place and drew back the string, just as the green goblin performed the same action. Both arches squinted and took aim, but only one fired.
The Queen's arrow sped through the air with dangerous precision, cutting through the breeze and into the heart of its target. The goblin fell, its flaming arrow and bow still clutched in its hand. Zelda let out a relieved sigh and dropped the bow to her side, a satisfied smile tracing her lips.
"My Queen!" The soldiers shouted. Their voices echoed around the field as they cheered for her. She blushed slightly as they chanted "Queen Zelda," over and over again. Over their voices, she heard the steady beat of Epona's hoofs draw up to her. Her eyes flitted to Link as he leaned down from Epona to speak to her.
"Nice aim, Your Majesty." He joked. Her heart faltered at the twinkle in his eye. That was new.
"Thank you, Your Majest Number Two." She replied, her eyes matching the same playful sparkle.
"Maybe you should be leading these soldiers." He grinned as servants flocked around the Queen, fussing about that grass stains on her dress.
"I don't think my hand-maidens would like that very much." Zelda laughed.
"Come now, Your Highness. Let's not get that dress any dirtier." the maidens fawned, ushering Zelda back into the carriage. Link snorted and turned Epona around, trotting back to the front lines. Even after he left, the Queen couldn't remove the ridiculous smile from her face. He had complimented her. She peeked out the wagon, trying to catch sight of him again, but he was lost in the line of soldiers.
The hand-maidens crowded the wagon and pulled her back, all the while muttering about the green grass marks left on her gown. Queen Zelda saw only minor stains, and at the moment, didn't really care about the state of her dress. She had saved a soldier's life, and earned a compliment from her husband, King, Hero, ect.
"Queen Zelda!" one of the hand-maidens groaned, "You could have been killed!" Zelda raised one eyebrow.
"But I wasn't." she responded, feeling a little bit like a child arguing with her mother.
"Why would you risk your life like that?" the maiden asked, her wide eyes drowning in concern.
"That creature was taking aim at one of the soldiers." Zelda furrowed her brow. "I couldn't let that arrow fly." The Queen shook her head, wondering why the maiden would ask that question in the first place. Wasn't it obvious?
"He's just a soldier, Your Majesty. Soldiers can be replaced. You shouldn't put your life on the line for one man." The maiden shook her head disapprovingly. The others nodded in agreement, and Zelda frowned, not believing that the woman had really said that. Suddenly, Link's words from two weeks before came rushing back to her.
"You care more about your people than you do yourself...I guess that's what makes you great Queen." Her face warmed at the memory.
She dropped her head, not as a sign of submission, but to calm her racing anger. When she trusted herself enough to speak without yelling, the Queen raised her head and peered deep into the servant's eyes.
"And two years ago, Link was just an ordinary farmer. A goat herder. Easily replaced, right?" She asked, her voice dangerously quiet. The women frowned, wrinkles of confusion forming around her eyes and forehead.
"His Highness Link is different, he's...well, he's the King!" she exclaimed, bobbing her head in response to her own words.
"But he wasn't always the King." Zelda began. Her eyes scanned the face of each hand-maiden. "He wasn't always the Hero. He used to be a nobody. Replaceable. Just like that soldier." She said. Slowly, her soft voice gained volume. "You never know who somebody will grow up to be. That's why every life," Zelda gently grabbed the maiden's hand, "is important. Yours, mine, the soldier's. Yes, I may be the Queen, but that doesn't make my life any more valuable than his. The citizens of Hyrule are not here to serve me, but I am here to serve them as their Queen and leader. So please, never say that again." Zelda finished, the smile wiped from her face. The hand-maidens all stared at her, mouths hanging open in complete shock.
"I-I'm sorry, My Queen," the hand maiden blushed furiously and stared at her feet. "I didn't mean to offend you-"
Zelda held up her hand, stopping the women mid-sentence. "There is no need to apologize," Zelda squeezed the maiden's hand and gave her a warm smile. "Just remember what I said."
The women nodded, determination and relief swirling in her dark eyes. "I'll never forget it, My Queen. I can promise you that."
It was past midday by the time the Royal Caravan pulled through Kakariko gates. Zelda swatted at flies and wiped away beads of sweat that lined her forehead just below the hairline. The wagon slowed to a stop and Zelda climbed out, politely refusing help from the maidens and soldiers. From the other side of the wagon, Zelda heard a young girl's voice call out.
"Link, is that you?" A slender girl passed through the doors of a large hut beside the fairy spring. Zelda peered past the horses to see the girl run to Link and wrap her arms around him. Zelda approached them quietly, not wanting to interrupt them.
"How are you, Luda?" Link hugged her back, then released her and took a step back. "You sure have grown up," he said, fondly ruffing up her dark hair. She giggled and swatted his hand away.
"Cut it out, Link! You're making it all frizzy!" She chided him while running a hand through her hair to untangle it and flatten the frizzy strands.
"Last time I saw you, your hair was barely past your chin. Now look, it's all the way past your shoulders!" Link ignored her protests and grabbed a strand of Luda's raven hair, inspecting and measuring it. Luda yelled at him again, though her tone remained playful.
"Alright, fine." Link grinned impishly and let Luda's hair slip from his fingers. "Where's your dad?"
"I'll get him," Luda turned on her heel and raced back into the tent-like building. Link watched her go, then surveyed the village, his arms crossed over his chest.
He muttered to himself, a distant, absent look coming over his eyes. Zelda shifted her weight from foot to foot. She almost felt like she was intruding on something, the way his eyes seemed to be gazing at everything and nothing at all; it was like he was reliving a fond memory that she would never be able to see.
The Queen had been unaware that she was staring at him until he turned to her rather sharply.
"What?" His voice snapped like a whip, making a startled gasp escape the Queen's lips.
"Excuse me?" She frowned, her elegant eyebrows lowering over her eyes.
"You were looking at me funny." Link narrowed his eyes like he was confused about her surprise. Zelda fought off a blush and raised her chin indignantly, refusing to embarrass herself in front of him and the royal escort.
"Do I not have the right to look at you?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Must I pay a fee to gaze upon your handsome face?" Even as she said the words, the Queen marveled at her own audacity. She had to bite down the urge to drop her eyes when Link turned to face her fully, amusement evident on his sharp features.
"Normally, I would say twenty rupees," He quipped back, letting a thoughtful expression come over him. "But for you, I'll settle for ten."
Zelda could faintly hear the royal escort chuckling, but her attention was locked onto Link's half-smirk. She felt her own lips curve into a smile and she parted them to deliver a sharp retort.
"Ah, Link! Queen Zelda! This is certainly a pleasant surprise!"
Zelda snapped her mouth shut as Renaldo approached them, interrupting their playful quarrel.
"I suppose I should be calling you King now, shouldn't I?" Renaldo gave Link a wide grin and bowed before him.
"Just Link is fine." the King responded lightly, shaking the Shaman's sun-tanned hand.
"It's been too long, Link," Renaldo said, "but I know how busy you must be now." Link nodded mutely, an apologetic smile on his face.
"And, My Queen," the village Shaman then turned to Zelda, his contagious smile reaching the Queen and spreading its affects on her. "What an honor it is to finally meet you." He bowed deeply. "When I asked for an inspector, I never expected I would get to meet the Royal Family themselves!"
Zelda dipped her head in gratitude and extended her hand to him. The Shaman kissed her white glove as she spoke.
"It is my understanding that you sheltered the Ordon children during the Twilight Invasion." Zelda glanced at Link, who nodded. "And I wish to personally thank you for that, Renaldo. The sacrifices you made to ensure their safety has not slipped past my attention." Zelda held in a laugh when she saw the Shaman's eyes widen at her praise. "The children are not only citizens of Hyrule, but are also very important to Link, and therefor extraordinarily important to me." She ended with a graceful curtsy, making the Royal Entourage gasp and mumble among themselves. It was not everyday that a Queen curtsied to a commoner.
"T-thank you, My Queen." Renaldo stuttered breathlessly, lowering himself into another deep bow. Zelda merely nodded, ignoring the hushed gossip of the hand-maidens
"Will you give us a tour, perhaps?" The Queen let her eyes wander over the collapsing buildings.
"Yes, of course," Renaldo nodded, calling his his daughter over. They had a quick conversation and then Luda bobbed her head and motioned for the Royal Escort to follow her. After the entourage disappeared into the Kakariko Inn, one of the last well-maintained buildings, Renaldo turned his attention back to the royal couple and spread out his hands. "As you can see, the village is...falling apart. The majority of the residents fled during the Twilight Invasion, leaving their homes abandoned." The Shaman began to slowly walk down the main isle of the village, often gesturing at the shack houses on the sides.
Each house Zelda came across seemed increasingly worse, and a lump of remorse formed in her throat. For two years, she had let Kakariko Village suffer while she funded extravagant festivals behind the walls of Castle Town. The Queen bit her lip, idly listening to the drone of Renaldo's voice as he explained catastrophe after catastrophe.
"These homes were ravaged by Twili beasts..." Renaldo gestured to a small house with a collapsed roof. "The family," his voice got so quiet that Zelda had to lean in to hear him. "...they didn't make it." Zelda blinked, the lump in her throat expanding. The Shaman lowered his hand and stared at the home for several seconds, all cheeriness evaporated from his voice. Zelda's lips parted without her permission and a cracked, whispering voice reached her ears.
"How many were lost?"
Zelda didn't recognize the voice as her own until after the question was out. Renaldo raised his head to her, his hazel eyes staring into hers. The look between them was exchanged not from a commoner to a Queen, but as two people mourning the loss of loved ones.
"Too many, my Queen."
The words fell from his lips like glass and shattered into silence. Zelda closed her eyes, feeling the shards of that one phrase cut into her deeper than any weapon could. Her breathing became ragged and her eyes stung from the tears desperately trying to escape. She felt like she was about to fall. Her head spun and the Queen realized she really was about to fall. Her knees grew week, but before they could collapse, a strong hand intertwined itself with hers. The hand brought her back to balance, supporting her as she held on to it tightly. She didn't dare open her eyes, knowing that the tears would spill out if she did. So she waited, listening as her breathing gradually slowed into a normal pace.
"My Queen?" Renaldo's voice rose over the sound of her breathing. "Are you alright?" Even with her eyes closed, Zelda could feel the deep concern radiating from the Shaman's eyes. Zelda's fingers tightened around the hand's, gently running over the rough texture of old leather. A new voice whispered into her ear, slightly deeper than Renaldo's, and much softer.
"You can't blame yourself for this, Zelda." The hand squeezed hers back. "There's nothing you could do to stop it." Zelda listened to him and let his voice soothe her. His leather glove rubbed against her soft skin comfortingly.
"Your Highness?" Renaldo asked again, his voice barely above a whisper. Zelda felt her breath return and she opened her eyes, satisfied that the tears had already disappeared.
"I'm sorry, Renaldo." She gave him a weak smile. "It's just difficult for me, thinking of all that my people have had to suffer."
Renaldo nodded slowly, his own eyes glazed in a shiny coat. "There is a certain burden that survivors must carry." He closed his eyes. "A guilt that can never be reconciled. But, my Queen, if we bury our heads in the past, we will never be able to forge a better future."
The hand intertwined in Zelda's relaxed, and for a second, she thought he was letting go, but soon the hand was back, fingers tightly wrapped around hers. She let her eyes stray from Renaldo and fall upon the hand. Seeing it, her mind was transported back to a memory from two years before.
"Link, Chosen Hero," Zelda had said to him, staring into his blue eyes, so full of life. "Lend us the last of your power." She closed her eyes and bowed her head to the the glowing water of the Light Realm. He had said nothing, and only the gurgle of the Light Spirits' Spring filled her ears. Then, she heard him move and opened her eyes to see his hand extended towards her. She straightened and placed her ivory-gloved hand in his leather-gloved hand, a look of understanding passed between them...
Now, their hands were clutched even tighter than they had been that day. Zelda studied his brown glove, worn over time, but the color still as rich as the bark of the trees in Ordon Forest. Still as dark as it was that day, years ago, when she had rode behind him and fired light arrows at Ganondorf. Lost in her memories, Zelda wrapped both of her hands around his. She memorized the texture of his leather glove, never wanting to forget it. Her eyes traveled from Link's glove up to his eyes, where she was shocked to find blue irises staring back at her. For once, Zelda didn't drop his gaze, but held on to it, wishing to pause time and keep the moment forever.
"Zelda," Link said, his voice softer than she had ever heard it before. She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. Instead, Link pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. Zelda fell into the hug, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice muffled by her hair. The Queen never asked why he apologized, and never noticed when Renaldo sneaked away in silence. She never knew how much time had passed before they parted, but she knew that something had changed in his eyes. Somehow, his deep blue irises felt less like ice and more like sapphires glittering under the afternoon sun. And, when she melted into his arms, Zelda felt the ice behind his eyes melt along with her.
End Note: I thought of the goblin part because I think Zelda is a lot tougher than people give her credit for. I mean, she did help Link kick Ganondorf's butt. I feel like she's really loving and caring as a Queen, but she can hold her own if she has to. I know some of you probably wanted a big kiss at the end, but I'm not quite done with the story yet. Sorry!