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The Legend of Zelda series and its characters are property of Nintendo.

Chapter 5
Shopping

Speaking with Ilia had been comforting for Zelda. Even though Link had assured her that being engaged with her was something he wanted to do, and that they seemed to be closer since, she had felt a certain insecurity thereof. But speaking with the girl had helped her clarify her ideas and removed a great burden.

More than a week had passed since the engagement's announcement. The news had spread like gunpowder and letters of congratulations had begun to arrive from nobles and important people who couldn't have been invited because of the distance they lived in.

That day, Zelda finished her chores earlier than usual. With the growing peace and tranquility breathed in the kingdom, her daily duties were less each day. There weren't many papers to sign lately, and it seemed that the people didn't have too much problems in their day to day. Despite being grateful of not having much work, she also had to recognize that it was rather boring. The wait until she could enjoy the company of her guardian was becoming long to her. Thinking of him reminded her that they needed to talk during their meet up that afternoon.

She exited the study and headed towards her chambers. She was accompanied by a couple of maids and several attendants. She walked slowly while looking distractedly at the windows in the hallway. From where she was, she could see the courtyard where Link was training recruits. Instead of returning to her room, Zelda decided to make him a visit. She excused herself from her companions, half turned, and headed towards the gardens.

When she arrived, the courtyard was practically empty; only a few recruits, who were picking-up weapons and other objects used during training, remained. She searched for Link with her gaze and saw him at the back, in an isolated corner, talking with Commander Aster. He had taken off his green tunic, chainmail, and undershirt, which he was using it to dry the sweat off his face and neck. She began to doubt whether to approach or not. It wasn't proper for a young lady of high birth like herself to be in the presence of a half-naked man. On the other hand, she felt curious, and she wanted to see what hid beneath those green clothes that he always wore.

She breathed deeply and approached the two men. The first to see her was Commander Aster, who greeted her with a small bow.

"What brings you here, Highness?" the commander asked.

"I came to speak with Link."

"I see," he said with a knowing smile. "I will leave you alone."

The commander left after a bow. Zelda gave the courtyard a quick glance; there wasn't anyone left. She looked at Link, who looked at her with anxiousness, and moved closer to him. She felt a bit nervous; she had seen naked men in paintings and statues, but never a real one, although – in truth – it was only from the waist up.

She observed him attentively bottom to top, not missing detail of anything. She wanted to touch him, but she knew it would be too risqué of a move from her part. Lifting her gaze to his face, she could see a strong blush on his cheeks. Lowering her stare a bit, she saw a scar on the lower part of his neck, on the left side, which went on until his clavicle. Without thinking, Zelda lifted her hand and placed her index finger over that mark. She followed the path the scar marked with her index down until the chest.

"H…Highness," Link said nervously. "I do not think this is something a princess should do. To begin, you should not be here when I am half dressed."

Link was right, but Zelda decided to ignore him. In a few months they would be married; she didn't see it as too serious to want to speed things up a bit.

"It is your fault, Link," Zelda said, looking at his eyes. "It was you who has stripped in a public place."

"It's hot; I needed to change," Link said, embarrassed. "What will people think if they see us like this?"

"Never mind what people think. We are engaged after all. Moreover, I do not think that no one can reproach me for wanting to approach such an incredibly attractive man."

Link turned bright red at that comment, and Zelda couldn't help but laugh. It was too adorable.

"You are not accustomed to be flattered much, are you?"

"Well, they used to tell me I was cute when I was little, I have been called handsome, and you yourself have said several times that I am attractive, but you have never told me that I was incredibly attractive, it is a bit embarrassing."

Zelda giggled but continued with her inspection of his torso. She could see other scars scattered on his body, although the majority were now less visible; some on his arms, one on his left side, and a couple on the shoulders, but what most caught her attention were three parallel scars on his left breast, just above the nipple.

"You have many scars." Zelda said while touching those three with the tip of her fingers.

"The majority are from when I was a child. I used to get into plenty of trouble."

"Are you serious?" Zelda asked, surprised. She couldn't imagine him being a problematic child.

"I was rather imprudent, used to go through dangerous places and I liked to go against wild animals. Those scars on the chest are product from one of those encounters."

"That I believe more," Zelda said while laughing. "It is evident that a courageous man such as yourself was not going to be less as a child."

"Some others, like the more striking ones on the arms, I got them during my adventure," the hero added. "The one from the neck, for example, I got it during the fight against Ganondorf."

Zelda eyed the scar on his neck again. She placed her fingers over that zone once more. She could feel the softness of his skin and the warmth that it gave off through her fingertips. She was very thankful for deciding not to use gloves that morning. She decided to go a bit further and, with the palm of her hand, caressed his neck. She lowered it slowly until she noticed Link's fast heartbeats under her palm.

"Zelda," Link said, putting his hand over the princess's arm, stopping her.

She looked at him. Link was serious, it seemed she had gone too far. She pulled her hand away from him and retreated a step, somewhat ashamed. Even though she didn't regret what she had done, she had to recognize that she had been a bit bold, more considering that they were within the sight of anyone who passed by there.

"What did you want to speak with me?" he asked while putting on his tunic.

Zelda blushed a bit; she had completely forgotten why she had come all the way there.

"I need you to come with me this afternoon to Castle Town," she replied. "There are important business we must attend."

"What are they?" Link asked with curiosity.

"I will explain to you later. It would also be a good opportunity for the townspeople to see us together after the announcement of the engagement, so go dressed in your green cap and tunic; you should be recognizable. But it is not necessary to take your chainmail and shield."

"All right," he replied. "With your permission, I will shower and dress now."

They couldn't take three steps in Hyrule Castle Town without people trying to stop them to congratulate. The outcome was better than she had imagined, everyone adored the hero chosen by goddesses and they seemed very happy with his engagement with the princess. More than adore him, there were people who even seemed to worship him. They had taken the 'chosen by the goddesses' in a very literal sense, an older woman had even asked him to bless her and he had done what he could to please her. Although everyone seemed content, Zelda could see three girls crying disconsolately while they looked at Link. The princess found that a bit funny, for it seemed that the young hero was really breaking hearts wherever he walked by without even noticing.

When they could finally pass among the people, they headed to the South Road to glance at the shopping stands. The first stand Zelda saw was a flower one. Despite not having intention to buy one, as she had many in the castle's garden, she liked seeing and smelling them. She liked pansies especially. After appreciating the flowers, she headed towards the candy stand that was next to it. There she bought a little bag full of dates, some caramels, and a jar of honey.

For more than half an hour was she going from stand to stand, buying little things that she needed and passing them to the two maids that accompanied her. When she had finished buying, she ordered the maids to return to the castle and tuned towards Link, who had remained behind her at all moment, following her wherever she went.

"Come," she told him in an imperative manner. "We are to go to several places more."

They returned to the Central Square and headed towards a building that was next to Malomart. There was a sign on the entrance's door that indicated it was the tailor's.

"Do you need new clothes?" Link asked as they entered.

"Not me, it is you who needs them."

"Pardon?" Link looked at her with a mix of curiosity and surprise.

"I will explain later," Zelda said, and then addressed the girl behind the counter. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Highness," said the girl with a great curtsy. "I see you came with your fiancé. Follow me, please."

The girl guided them to a room where a great quantity of men's clothes hanged from perches and mannequins. From the door that was at the back of the room, a middle-aged man appeared, accompanied by two young men.

"Father, Her Highness, the princess, has come along with her fiancé to verify the order she asked for," the girl said.

"Welcome to my humble tailor's shop," said the man. "My name is Tyler, the tailor, and these two lads are my assistants."

The tailor, as did his assistants, bowed.

"I finally have the honor of meeting the hero," the tailor continued. "I've heard many things about you, my lord, but I finally get to see you in person. Just as the rumors say, you are a very handsome lad, very good-looking. You have good taste, Highness."

"Thank you," replied Zelda with a smile.

"You two," he told the two boys. "Take Sir Link inside."

Zelda waited, sitting on a comfortable armchair for Link to come out. The girl from before had served her tea and pastries to make the wait more pleasant. After several minutes of waiting, Link came out with an aloof face, dressed with black pants and a simple, white dress shirt.

"What do you think, Highness?" Tyler asked while adjusting the shoulders of Link's shirt.

"It suits him well."

"Unfortunately the merit is not only mine," he said, adjusting the bottom of the pants. "Our young hero here is well-built. I believe he is one of those people who, wear what they wear, everything fits them well."

"I could not agree more," the princess replied, looking at Link up and down.

"You have indicated that Sir Link prefers commodity, so we have opted for comfortable fabrics," the tailor indicated. "The shirt is of linen, comfortable but elegant, and the pants are from cotton, a fabric that we have recently begun to import; it's very comfortable and soft. Now, if you will excuse me, I will go find a jacket."

When the tailor left the room, Link turned towards the princess.

"Are you going to tell me what is it with all this?" he asked.

"We will hold a dinner with a ball within a month; you will need adequate clothes for the event."

"Another ball?"

"That's right," Zelda said while nodding. "The last ball was to announce our engagement, this one is to present you before high society. Not only are nobles from the kingdom invited, but also royalty and representatives of neighboring countries, you must dress according to the occasion."

"Last time you made me use armor, could I wear that again?" he said with a pleading expression on his face.

"Of course not!" said the princess, scandalized. "The nobles that assisted to the announcement will be present, they can not see you with the same attire. Besides, last time you also had to represent your role as my guardian, this time you will simply be my fiancé."

Link looked at her with doe eyes for several seconds, but Zelda remained immutable before that look, although she had to muster all of her willpower. Seeing that it did not work, Link clicked his tongue, slightly irritated. Zelda couldn't help but laugh at that somewhat childish behavior uncharacteristic of him.

"I have the jacket," the tailor said as he entered the room.

The jacket he had on his hands was silk, of a dark green color, and with gold trimmings. The tailor hurried to help Link put it on and backed several steps from him to verify the result.

"What do you think?" Tyler asked Link while motioning towards a full body-mirror so he could see himself in it.

"I don't know…" he said hesitantly. "I look weird."

Zelda giggled at the comment. She stood up from her seat and approached. She placed her hand over his arm and caressed the fabric.

"Do not say that, Sir Link," she told him while observing him attentively. "You are very handsome with those clothes, it is simple and comfortable, but also elegant."

"There's still some touch-ups on the cuffs and on the bottom of the pants to be made," the tailor remarked. "But when everything is done, I will send it to the castle. Also, we will have to think of a cravat for the neck."

"Perhaps not," Zelda said after seeing Link's horrified expression. "I think it is better this way."

"But fashion dictates that men carry a cravat." It was now the tailor who seemed horrified. "Without it, his neck will show; it will not seem very elegant."

"I know, but Sir Link does not like to wear tight things, and least of all on the neck," Zelda said in a consoling tone. "We shall think of something."

When they left the tailor's they headed towards as store that was nearby, a shoe shop.

"Now shoes?" Link asked without a pinch of enthusiasm in his voice.

"Of course. I have ordered boots to match with the outfit."

Link sighed, defeated, and they entered the establishment. When they got out of there, Link had in his hands a box with elegant, though also comfortable, high-kneed, black-leathered boots in its interior.

The last place they went to was a jewelry store. Link looked at the store's door, horrified. No way was he going to wear jewelry.

"Do not worry, Link," the princess said in a tranquilizing tone. "What I have prepared is something you would not mind wearing, I assure you."

They entered the jewel shop, where they were greeted by a man behind the counter with an adulatory smile on his face.

"Highness, it's a pleasure seeing you," said the salesman. "I have what you ordered."

The clerk opened the drawer that was behind him and took out a tiny little box covered in blue velvet. Opening it, they could see a pair of earrings in its interior. They were very simple. They were plain silver rings without any type of ornament.

"Do you like them?" the princess asked.

"Yes," Link replied after observing them carefully. "They are simple and nothing ostentatious."

Zelda smiled at those words. She really hadn't needed to ask him to know if he liked them, it was evident by the expression on his face, but she wanted to hear it just the same. She knew perfectly what the hero's taste were – he preferred simplicity and comfort above all.

"Why don't you try them on?" the jeweler suggested.

Link took off his blue earrings and put silver ones on. Zelda liked how his usual pendants looked on him – they matched with his eyes – but for this occasion, she preferred that he wore something more according, and she had to recognize that these ones also looked good on him.

Now that they finally finished and were back at the castle, Link seemed more relaxed. He had put on his blue earrings and kept the silver ones in its little box. It was placed it inside boot's box, which he carried under his arm.

"Tell me one thing, Highness," Link said as they walked through the hallways. "When did you order all this? Every time that you have gone to Castle Town I have been accompanying you and I have never seen you enter one of those places."

"One has their aces up their sleeves," Zelda replied with a giggle, but stopped as she saw Link's look of reproach. "I simply asked my secretary to search for the best in their field, and bring them to me to commission them. Since we already had your measurements from when I had the clothes you have on made, it was easy to prepare everything without your knowledge."

"You like to carry things in secret a lot, don't you?"

"It is fun," she said with a giggle.

"I still believe all this was unnecessary," he said after a long sigh.

"You are exaggerating," Zelda said. "I have insisted much in that the clothes were the most comfortable possible, you cannot complain in that aspect."

"Sure everything was comfortable, but I feel weird dressing in very elegant clothes. I will look like a show monkey with all this."

"Do not say nonsense, Link," the princess exclaimed, annoyed. "You look splendid with those clothes and you must look presentable for the occasion."

"Does that mean I am never presentable?"

"You are tergiversating my words, Link," Zelda said as she grabbed him by the arm and turned him towards her, both of them stopping in the middle of the hallway. "Some nobles will be attentive to whatever imperfection or complaints that they can find in you. I assume that the first they will throw at your face are your humble origins, at least I want to prevent them from critiquing your appearance. If it were for me, you would wear what you liked," she added, grasping him by the collar of his tunic, pulling him towards herself. "You look perfect with anything you wear to me." She released the collar of his tunic and placed her hands over his chest, before continuing, noting the lines of the muscles through the fabric. "In fact, if it were for me, you would wear nothing."

"Zelda!" he exclaimed, horrified.

"There is no need for you to be too scandalized," she said in a coquettish tone. "For what I have seen this morning, I am certain that it would be a sight that would please me very."

Link became red as a tomato, and Zelda laughed.

After bidding Link goodbye and now in her room, Zelda took off the jewels and decorations she wore with the help of her maids. All those decorations were very heavy and uncomfortable; it was a bother to wear them all day. When she had rid of all that and felt more comfortable, she sat on one of the chairs in her room for the maid to undo her hair and brush it.

She liked her hair brushed, it relaxed her very much, and she'd always close her eyes to enjoy more of the sensation. When the maid finished and she opened them, she saw something she hadn't noticed was there. In front of her, over the dresser, was a vase with a bouquet of flowers, of pansies to be more exact. She stood from the chair and approached them.

"Cecile," Zelda said while placing her hands on the vase and observing the flowers with detail. "Where did these flowers come from?"

"A florist brought them this afternoon while you were out, Highness," the maid said while putting Zelda's jewels away.

"Did they not say from whom?"

"No, Your Highness. They didn't want to tell me."

Zelda had a vague idea of who had sent her those flowers. There weren't many people who knew that pansies were her favorite flowers, and the purple ones in particular. She took the flowers out of the vase, careful not undo the bouquet, and left the room with it in hand. She walked to the door continuous to hers and called.

"Come in," was heard behind the door.

Link was sitting on the border of his bed, taking one of his boots. He had already taken off his tunic, leaving him in his shirt and cap.

"Did you forget something, Highness?" he said while taking the other boot off.

"I believe this is yours," Zelda replied, showing him the flower.

"Why would that flower be mine?"

"Oh, come, do not play the fool," said the princess, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head. "I know it was you who sent the flowers."

"It could have been anyone."

"Few know that my favorite flowers are pansies. Sending flowers is not Sir Aster's style and my father, may he rest in peace, I believe couldn't have sent them from the grave."

Link looked at her eyes to later sigh, resigned, and raised his hands in gesture of guiltiness.

"All right, I admit it," he said.

"Why did you buy them?" she asked as she sat by his side. "You know I do not like to buy flowers."

"I thought you would like to have some in your room. I know that you do not like to waste money in something you have by the bunch in your gardens, but I also know that you feel sorry to cut them. But these were already cut and the money was mine, so I thought it was perfect."

"When did you buy them? I did not see you do so."

"One also have their aces up their sleeve," Link said in a teasing tone.

At that response, Zelda stared at him in reproach, to which he laughed.

"I bought them while you were distracted, looking at other stands."

Zelda moved closer to Link and, placing a hand on his chest for support, gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

"That was a thank you," she said, and then left without giving him time to react.