A/N: I know I don't have the grammar of an english god so please excuse the comma splices or run-on sentences. Also I hope you like this story. It is based on the memory "Father and Daughter" If you need or want to brush up on that before starting. Hope you enjoy the fluff
Meet me by the apple tree, midnight. –L.
Zelda's heart began to pound and she blushed as she read the letter tucked away inside her book behind her bookmark.
She glanced around wondering if anyone witnessed her change in demeanor, but it was the castle library afterall and most of the residents of the castle weren't literate or if they were they busied themselves with gossip and courtlife—too much so to care for books.
It was a morning that Zelda was up unusually early as she wrestled with sleep all night, in and out every hour; until finally the sun rose and she decided to give up on attempting any rest. Her anxiety at the coming day shocked her nerves the night before and she couldn't put her mind at ease.
She wonders when the message got there as she hadn't left the book in the library until late into the evening and was up around dawn. However it happened Zelda cares not and she smiles and tucks the note back in between pages before hurrying to her study.
Once there she puts the folded paper in her hidden compartment that she faceted into her desk half a year prior. It is where she keeps trinkets, notes, dried flowers and more—the memories she holds with Link. It is funny to Princess Zelda thinking of how just a year ago she found him too annoying and despised him and now she found an unlikely friend in him.
Despite their friendship—if anyone in the court were to find out about it…well a Princess and a Knight wouldn't go over well—they had to pretend like everything was as it was a year ago. There would be much gossip and too much reputation damage that would occur that her father would most likely send him off to some long-term scouting mission. Thus, they had to keep their public interactions formal and less than friendly.
It became a sort of game for them, how well could they hide their friendship from others? One among many games they had together. Link was the only one in the castle who made Zelda's life fun, and enjoyable. He was also the only one she could talk and talk to about Sheikah technology without him getting bored or not listening. The patient and intense look in his eyes when she explained always gave her butterflies, for how seriously he took her was something she never took for granted and wished to never part with.
She spends the next few hours in her room trying to distract herself with studies, crafts, and even herbology. The likes of which none soothe her anxiety. She finally decides to reside in the chapel where she will pray for a few hours before the court adjourning.
Her prayers go horribly, she can't find focus or solitude. Too much is weighing on her and too much is exciting her. She mostly passes the time seated on her knees before the statue hands clasped, but her mind wanders to purely imaginary far away situations. She curses herself for not performing better as she concludes it with an apology to the Goddess Hylia for her failure to stay devoted during her prayers.
She makes her way to the sanctum where she will sit and nod and act like she agrees with everything said regardless how she feels. Her father requires her presence, but beyond that she is just a pretty face in a pretty dress. Nothing more than a show for everyone.
She takes her seat next to her father. Link is also required to join as her appointed knight so he stays behind Zelda in the corner of the room. Her posture is pencil straight and her hands lay tightly knit in her lap. Her father seated next to her is just poised but with more arrogance to his demeanor, his right elbow resting on the seat of his throne.
Zelda glances up at him for a moment, wanting to say something but shortly after the first few advisors trickle in Zelda looks forward and decides against it. She sits in silence until he finally says something as the last member files in and sits down.
"Remember our conversation." he mumbles under his breath before addressing the entire committee.
"Welcome advisors to our monthly meeting! I am so glad to see you all here today…"
His voice fades away as Zelda ignores all of what is said. The conversation that her father is referring to is the one they had a week prior where Zelda approached her father at the monthly requests, where anyone from anywhere can come before the king and request aid and assistance.
The gasps and the whispers when Zelda appeared before her father was something that shocked everyone, even him. The anger and the whiplash afterwards almost made it not worth it. Even if she did it with pure intentions, well the outcome seemed more like a rebellious move.
In reality she just wanted to be heard by him, so she had thought perhaps that was an honest approach, but even that was denied of her. He made it very clear that she was never to speak out of place, never give her opinions, nor give her thoughts on any matter. Thus, instead of being tempted to do so in such a place with talks of politics, policies, and technology she uses the easy fallback to prevent her comments that would irk her father, and instead she daydreams and tries to relax that way.
Luckily the meeting feels short and when it concludes Zelda robotically goes to the exit and curtsies everyone a goodbye and wishes them health and peace. Once the last advisor leaves she decides to take a walk around the castle to hopefully air out some of her tension.
When she comes across the bridge overlooking the courtyard where Shiekah individuals and castle-workers stand around working with the technology of what was once known as guardians.
Link, having followed her here, stands beside her so she begins to tell him some of her observations about the Sheikah technology and how quickly the advances are that they are making. She explains that their defense will be increased so much against Ganon should he ever show himself.
Her excitement and positivity towards this is apparent. He smiles at how cute she is when she gets excited about these things, and is grateful at how much more open she is with him now.
"What are you doing out here Zelda?" Her fathers voice startles her from her comments towards Link.
Zelda tries to explain their advances and how she was just observing them, and she tries to explain how helpful this technology will be against Ganon. He interrupts her however, exclaiming that he knows, and then leads into lecturing her about how she has failed everyone and her duties.
Zelda does her best to dispute his claims, she tells him how hard she tries. She tells him that she has given all her prayers and devotions, and yet he writes her off as a kid just playing around thinking this is some fun game when in fact it was quite the opposite. He finally at some point forbids her to have anything to do with the technology, it breaks her heart but deep down, she knew this day was coming. He was always so irritated by her fascination and love of the Sheikah culture and technology.
She drowns out most of what he says aftwards, the rest doesn't really matter. It's nothing he hasn't already said. She hears him say to her, "Do you understand?" She automatically replies that she does and he retreats back the way that he came, damage done he parts. She remains standing staring at the ground for a few moments. She was anxious for this day but wasn't fully prepared for just how it might go.
Once she becomes aware of life again Zelda retreats to her chambers in a sprint. She bursts through her door before throwing herself onto her bed.
She lays a moment staring at the ceiling letting her mind wander. She thinks about what her father said. While she tried to ignore and disregard, his words still managed to weave their way into her subconscious. Apparent by how all his comments just come rushing back.
She begins to replay the morning back to herself, maybe he really was right. She had failed her duty just that morning to pray, her focus non-existent. Maybe she isn't committed enough. Maybe she really just is a failure. A few tears fall down her face.
They go past her temples and onto her pillow. Her face scrunches as she tries to stop it. It only makes the tears worse and now her throat becomes knotted. She closes her eyes hoping that they may fade that way but more keep falling down.
With each tear she remembers a different moment. When someone sent her a cutting look. When her father tells her of her failure. When other court women laugh at her books or reading.
Even some Sheikah thinks she is so incapable because she is a Hylian woman, she can't possibly know what she is talking about. Even her own father, the man supposed to love her and to help her rise above all her challenges. Instead he is the worst of them all.
She turns her head to the side and holds the bridge of her nose.
The only person that gave her safety and solitude in this entire damned place was the man outside her door now, Link. But even he was mocked. Everyone called him short, short stacked was the joke they used most. Anytime Zelda and Link were next to each other, she would hear comments about how he wouldn't be able to protect anything with feet that small. As if they forgot what got him the role in the first place.
She imagines for a moment that they are on the road traveling. Visiting town to town. She has books, journals, tubes, all sorts of material for researching flora and fauna outside. They would rent a room in each village. They would spend their nights drinking, laughing, playing games, and chatting. Zelda could show her findings and Link would nod and listen, fully invested in her.
When Zelda would get a bit too tipsy he would carry her to bed, tucking her in gently. He would then clean up their mess and put all her things back how they belong, he is observant after all. He would also make sure that everything was prepped for the morning before climbing into his own bed. Under his breath before turning over he would whisper "Goodnight Zelda."
Another tear falls.
They would make their money from her giving talks and training people on how to best utilize the earth around them and all the hidden properties of the different plants and animals. Link would train men, husbands and sons, on how to defend their homes and their loves. He would teach proper sword craft and care.
This sounded like the perfect life. But it is a life that could never be. At this saddening thought Zelda bursts out crying and she rolls over stuffing her face into her pillow before letting out the incessant sobs that rock her body.
Her door creaks open but she doesn't even hear it. Suddenly a hand is resting on her shoulder and she jostles. She sits up wiping her tears away doing her best to pretend like nothing happened. When she focuses and realizes it's Link she panics and does her best at attempting a smile, but the smile is broken and she knows he can tell.
He walks slowly over to her before crouching down on the floor in front of her where she sits on the bed. He waits a moment before saying, "Zelda. Is everything alright? I heard you crying."
"It's fine. I'm fine."
Link pauses a moment before grabbing her hand, "I wish I could stay long enough to get this out of you, but I really shouldn't be long gone from my post. I just came in here to tell you to please remember, I am your friend and I always will be. I'm here for you. I won't ever leave your side. No matter where you go." This just makes her eyes brim with tears after the day dream she just had. With that he stands up still holding her hand in his, giving a gentle squeeze before walking away.
She reaches her arm out hoping to let the touch linger a second more, in a matter of moments he is outside her room and she just stares at the door. Hoping she could will his return into existence, but knowing ultimately, he wouldn't.
She falls back on her bed and lets more tears fall, seeing his back walking away ignites a fear in her that he would one day do that for a final time. Then her dream really could never come true—not that it would anyways, but part of her holds a hope.
She finally stops crying, having let it all out. She pauses a moment taking some deep breaths and blotting her face of all the tears. She looks at her reflection and sees such red eyes and puffy cheeks but hopes that it will soon fade away. She thinks of Link again, desiring to just have his presence there with her.
The only reason she doesn't force him back inside is because they have their planned meet for later. Their meet! In less than a half day they can be together again, and she doesn't have to worry about anything. Not her father or what he has commanded of her, nothing has to weigh on her because she can see her best friend and just be released of the weight on her shoulders.
She changes into her comfortable night attire and lays down in bed attempting at a nap. After all the exhaustion of the day, a night of no sleep, and crying, she feels thoroughly ready to sleep.
She manages to get in a few hours and the sun is finally setting. She makes her way to the kitchen to eat her dinner as well as pass time. She needs the sustenance after such a draining day even if her appetite is small so she forces herself to finish, one slow spoonful after another. Luckily by the time she takes the last bite there are only a few hours until midnight. In which time she passes by doing some light reading.
She checks the clock anxiously every couple of minutes as it reaches closer to midnight. Once the time has reached nearly twelve she sneaks around the corridors—always her favorite part about the night meetings, the sneakiness. Until she finds their spot by the castle walls across from the apple tree.
They always say the apple tree in their letters. In case someone catches sight of it they can see from a distance if anyone is at it and if not they stay close to the castle wall and meet there. And luckily if one were spying from a window they would not be visible to them at the base of the brick walls.
When Zelda sees that the tree is clear and Link propped up against the wall, she runs up to him smiling.
"Finally! I've been waiting to see you since you left my room, I wanted to rant to you!" She pouts at him for a moment.
Link's eyes widen inquisitively so she continues, but before that a question pops into her mind, "Why did you send me that letter anyways?"
"I actually worried for you last night when I woke up in the middle of the night from a bad dream, I can't remember it but I do recall that I had a feeling that we should meet. Let's just say I am glad I followed my instinct."
Zelda smiles at the sweet and mindful gesture and nods in understanding.
"Please tell me about what's on your mind."
"Well…it's just my father. Just being in his presence is such an ache, he never fails to make me feel like a failure even if he doesn't call me one like he did today. I don't even know if he's my father anymore, would a father really act like he does? Every day it's like he pushes me further away, yet never just stops and thinks about how I feel about the things he says. I just wish to be freed from this prison. I want to travel the vast expanses, write books, and meet new people. The gossip mongers of the castle are starting to annoy me to no end, their conversation so shallow and lacking. What's worse is my only friend in the entire place I have to keep hidden." Link's eyes fall a little at the word friend and Zelda blushes some, but tries to ignore the movement she just saw.
She looks at Link while reaching a hand up to brush some of his hair back and he catches her hand. Very gently holding it as if she is a delicate Silent Princess. Ha The irony, a silent princess, very suiting of a name for her.
She is brought back to the moment as he strokes the back of her hand gently. The soft touch makes her eyes water, she had never been handled in such a gentle and loving way before, it makes her want to open up completely and be vulnerable entirely with him—even though she felt this in multitudes of ways already—but when Link breaks the silence and asks her, "Are you okay?" in a soft tone. His gaze focused solely on her as if nothing else in the world could distract him from the woman in front of him. She breaks.
The tears begin flooding and she can't help it. Her knees buckle and she falls slightly before Link's strong arms catch her and he helps her softly to the ground. He sits there holding her and rocking her, not bothering to ask any questions or tell her to stop. He waits patiently for her to let it all out. Giving soft strokes to her hair hoping to soothe her. When her crying softens and she finally stops she leans back and looks at him with a slight whimpering in her jaw.
"It's just so hard being a princess, what everyone expects. I can't be true to me, it's–it's tearing me up inside. I just—" she begins crying again and Link softly wipes her tears away with his thumbs as he holds Zelda's jaw.
"Zelda, dearest Zelda. You are the most amazing woman I know, you already are true to you and that is why you struggle. You fight back against your father, you do! Maybe not as much as you wish, but you do!"
You also never partake in the gossip or speak ill of others. You also help anyone and everyone even at the expense of your own convenience. You are the most kind and intelligent person I know. You conform to no rules nor bounds, you are truly one of a kind. Never lie to yourself that you don't do enough or anything! I hope you can see this soon. I wish you to see you how I do."
Zelda has a few more tears fall at the kind words that he says. She also wishes that she could see herself in that way and maybe by him saying that she does in a manner believe him some and feels a bit more confident. She finally finishes crying fully and responds,
"You think so?"
He nods very enthusiastically.
"Thank you Link. I'm not sure what I would do without you. You are my one place of sanity here. I hope you never leave me." I love you
The words she wishes to speak, but fears if she finally speaks it their friendship will be lost and they will no longer have each other. Fear of it pushing him away is half of it. But the other half is if they become lovers and one day are not, the thought of him leaving her is too much for her to bear and she would rather stay friends than be lovers only to fall apart.
"Of course Zelda. You are mine as well, I find the other guards stinky and weird with the jokes they make to each other and the comments they toss around about women. Strange people, they are." Zelda laughs a little at Link's cute innocence. "Zelda, please never stop laughing. It is the cutest sound to ever grace the land of Hyrule."
Zelda blushes so profusely at this comment. When Link makes statements like this she wonders if maybe he harbors the same feelings that exceed friends, but again she does not dare to make the first move. She instead pushes those thoughts away, better to pretend they aren't really there than to entertain.
Zelda stands and Link with her. He gives her a tight hug that she quickly reciprocates. Link says one final comment to Zelda, "The moon is beautiful tonight." I love you.
A/N: AGHHH aren't they the cutest?! Also I'm not sure how many of you are aware of what I was saying when I made the "moon is beautiful" comment. SO HISTORY LESSON (history is my favorite subject lol).
Soseki Natsume was a Japanese novelist and teacher in the 19th century. He taught Japanese to English speakers and when his students would try to translate 'I love you' he would tell them that Japanese people wouldn't be so direct as to say 'Ai shite iru' (I am loving you). He claimed that they would instead say some comment about the moon. Some speculate if he actually taught them to say 'The moon is beautiful tonight'.
However, the legend and the point of the lesson remains. How, in Japanese culture, they prefer to side on the half of being vague and indirect than outright claiming anything. So when Link says this to her…he's really saying 'I love you'. (isn't that the cutest thing ever -sobs happily-)
I hope that makes that last paragraph a bit more meaningful and cute. Sorry if the history lesson was a bore XP
Anyways, thank you dearly for reading this 3