Hey, sorry for the late update, I've been grounded. It's also extremely short, but hopefully I should have the next chapter out in a day or two. (With better content and a longer entry)

I'm thinking of doing first-person in the next or in a few chapters, which I think will flow pretty well.

Thanks for the views and follows! Whaddaya say after this (although unworthy) chapter, you leave a review for me? Much appreciated, I love you guys 3

Zelda

Link steadied Epona and began to saddle her. His good hand moved diligently, leaping through the leather strands, while his other arm tried to hold the saddle still. Even from Zelda's window, she could tell it was a strain. The morning air greeted her on the balcony as she leaned onto the railing, her lavender nightgown blowing.

Link looked up from the courtyard below and waved to her. She gave a brief wave back, smiling. His arm seemed to be healing ok, but the gut wound had taken a while longer for him to even be able to ride and train, even with magic healing.

Zelda couldn't help but be curious with where the hero was disappearing off to though. She knew he had lady admirers, but it was rare that he would show too much interest, so a secret lover or something was doubtful. She tried to mind herself, but it concerned her. He was always lingering in the library or some other place reading or snooping around asking questions about one thing or another, then leaving to who-knows-where. Zelda had been meaning to talk to him about this, but rarely had the time considering she was eighteen and running all of Hyrule (practically) single-handedly. Link was also busy, but she didn't know with what or where, so it's not like she could follow him and talk to him… could she? An absurd thought. How could she think about invading his privacy and following him? I mean, if he wanted her to know, he would have told her, right? It was killing her.

A timid knock sounded from the iron door to her bedroom. "Come in," She called. Lilac entered the room, her pale blonde hair falling loosely from it's updo and around her face. The servant looked uneasy, her green eyes darting around the room. Why would Link's chamber-maid be looking for her, especially this early?

"H-have you seen Link today?" She probably was trying to hide the tremble of her voice, but it was obvious to Zelda's pointed Hylian ears. In fact, her appearance was enough. Zelda cast a glance over her shoulder to where the hero had ridden away seconds earlier. "He just left." She tilted her chin up formally. "Was there a reason you needed his audience? Perhaps I could ask him upon his return." Lilac swallowed. "I-I just was worried about him. He wasn't in his room last night.."

How would she know this? For some reason it made her angry, impulsive, even. "Is that so?" The servant nodded and Zelda continued. "As far as I know, The Hero has been in and out often lately. I don't know why your search would lead you here, as I'm as clueless as anybody is about his whereabouts." She noticed a new cold sound in her voice, as if she were angry at the girl. Poor Lilac looked like she was getting slapped in the face. Zelda cleared her throat. "Sorry, I haven't eaten yet. I'm a little irritable at the moment." Lilac nodded, still unsure. She truly was lovely, and it wouldn't surprise her if Link had a thing for the girl.

Wait, what?

She shoved the thought down into the deepest corners of her mind, and asked herself why she even cared about such a silly thing.

Lilac dismissed herself and scurried out of the room. Zelda let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and began to get ready for the day. Her dress was a little different than her usual dark purple, her attire was now a shade of light lavender and her jewelery silver instead of gold, with less pendants and more small silver diamonds. She undressed and stepped into her different gown, and stopped to appreciate the quality of it. Silver linings danced up the bottom of the dress, creating a beautifully stunning trim to finish it off. The princess smiled at the mirror, watching her own pale face shift. She frowned. What stared back at her was a fatigued girl. Not the monarch of the great dynasty, not the figurehead and soon-to-be queen of Hyrule, but a girl. A girl that suffered from sleep deprivation and worry. Her frown increased as she touched the crease that folded in her forehead, and she gingerly traced the lines of worry and dissatisfaction below the corners of her mouth.

Zelda raised her chin and forced herself to take on her usual air of royalty, then stepped out of her room like she owned the place. (Which of course she did.)

Ealing approached her at a brisk pace as she walked down the steps.

Gods help me. She thought as the noble arrived.

"Good morning, Princess." He smiled politely, and she did as well, but she knew what was coming.

"Good morning to you as well, Ealing." The high-servant fished a pamphlet from his pocket and handed it to her with a small bow, as if he didn't do this every morning.

"Your itinerary, My Lady." Zelda tried not to make gagging noises as she took the paper from his hand. "Thank you. Is this all?" Oh no.

Ealing cleared his throat.

"a news update, Your Grace, and a few other things." She nodded and continued to walk down the stairs with him scurrying about, handing her letters and informing her of minor problems that she answered her solutions quickly on, just everyday things.

"Yes, Your Grace, a very wise decision."

"Oh, yes, Your Majesty, that would be very resourceful."

"Yes, Your Grace, to be put through immediately! Very wise indeed!"

Zelda felt like throwing up. Or fainting of exhaustion. Or slapping him. Or, with much sarcasm and rudeness, throwing up her triforce hand and saying 'duh'. All of the above, maybe. What was wrong with her today? Usually she was good-tempered and didn't have such ideas of rebellion against her trained etiquette. Maybe it was Link. She had spent a lot of time with him, a chance to relieve herself from duties and not get judged for bad manners and actually talk like a real person. Now that he was gone, she had to go back to harsh self-discipline.

How did she ever survive without him?