So it seems that by popular demand, Link will have to shave that beard!

And also, this is the seventh chapter, we are halfway through the story. It saddens me to say that I'll be probably finishing the last chapter within the next week, so, if I update regularly every week, in seven weeks this story will be finished.

The Assassin's Creed franchise has six or so main games and I really want to write five more Assassin themed stories - and this is when I tell you the good news. I'll be reusing an old fanfic that I mentioned a lot of times before but I never posted and I'm going to adapt it into one of my Assassin series! So you might as well expect one more from me hopefully soon!

If you'd like, I added a link to my headcanons page on tumblr! I'll be frequently updating it!

- Guest Reviews

- Zelink005:Oh god...Link with a barely shaved beard...so sexy ! Sorry, I need to calm my hormones xD Anyway, things are getting even more interesting between them ! Keep it up!

Sadly, Link had to give up on the look ): And it's ok, everyone's hormones go in a frenzy when Link's name is mentioned xD

-Anon:please don't have link a beard! And what the hell was wrong with that guard?! lol

Shaved it! Ugh, guards are just so full of themselves thinking they are better than assassins disguised as ranch boys

- End of Reviews

And so I leave you to enjoy this new chapter! Have fun and don't forget to tell me what you think!

::

::

Chapter Seven

::

::

The news were unexpected, obviously, and they left Zelda in a state of shock for around five minutes until Shad snapped her out of her terrible reverie and urged her out of the throne room. The princess had only less than fifteen minutes to change out of her well elaborated dresses and put on a pair a trousers and a long sleeved linen shirt under her blue riding tunic, and a long cloak to conceal her features as well as her crown.

She was followed by Ashei and her lover as she half walked half jogged her way down the numerous stairs, out the reception hall and through the gardens. Her loyal knight helped her climb onto her stallion's back, and looked up at the princess with a slightly worried expression, "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you, Your Majesty?"

Zelda nodded, pulled the reins to keep the horse in place though she just wanted to leave as quickly as she could. "Your presence will only give away it is me who you are accompanying." She hurriedly glanced at the gates, heart pounding in desperation and grief.

"We will go later this afternoon, then." Shad offered helpfully as he laid his hand on Ashei's shoulder and pulled her away from the horse, "Go, Your Highness, he needs you." They watched as she breathed out an agreement and urged her horse to trot away as quickly as it could, leaving through the eastern gate of Castle Town.

The midmorning sun shone bright and hot above her, her cloak only made her feel hotter and more restless as sweat slowly trailed down her brow and cheeks. She was only in the middle of the path that led her to the northern portion of Hyrule Field, mentally counting seconds to keep track of the time. One thousand and eighty seconds, eighteen minutes and only now she was nearing the end of the path and seeing the rocky mountains that hid the secret trail to her destination.

She reached into her pouch for a bomb and attached it to the pointy end of her arrow, her horse steadily galloping in a straight line, the sound of its hooves softly smashing vivid green grass suddenly turning into a sharper, louder sound as it collided on the rock ground. Zelda pulled the reins, halting her horse, and pulled out her bow. She aimed for the different colored rocks that blocked the tunnel to Zora's Domain and let her arrow cut through the air, exploding the stones when the bomb touched them. Her stallion neighed and backed away, but she kicked her heels on its body and ordered it to go forward anyway, into the dark tunnel.

They emerged in Zora's Domain, Zelda hopped off her horse's back and hastily pulled back her hood before the guards could point their spears toward her. They bowed shallowly and hurriedly moved towards the stallion to take care of it while the princess ran up the length of the tunnel towards the throne room. The guards standing before the entrance allowed her to pass without questioning; some threw worried glance over their shoulders while others shook their head slowly and pitifully, but the overwhelming feeling of loss and grief was heavy in the air.

Zelda finally reached the young Zora seated on the throne, his eyes were shut tight and his fingertips were pressed against his eyelids. His body trembled, shoulders visibly shaking and he didn't look up to acknowledge her. She ran a gloved hand on her face to wipe out some sweat before dropping to her knees before him, hands lightly landing on his knees. "Ralis," his name came out in a breathy whisper and said prince shot his head up, eyes open wide and rimmed red from crying too much. "I'm so sorry." Formalities be damned, they were friends above anything else.

Ralis lunged forward and hugged her; Zelda wrapped her arms around his torso and let the young prince cry on her shoulder as silent tears escaped from her tightly shut eyes.

Rutella was gone.

::

::

The Zoras had always been quiet, peaceful and reserved creatures, barely causing any fuss or speaking too loudly. Zelda was used to the quiet atmosphere of the Zora castle, but it was ridiculous how deadly silent it was in that night. It was overwhelming, to say the least. Ralis barely spoke while eating dinner, the princess even tried to talk to him and distract his depressed mind, but it was no use. Komali wouldn't be in Hyrule in less than forty eight hours, but Zelda guessed his company would go to waste, just like hers. The Zoras seemed to prefer to mourn over their lost ones in silence and preferably alone. When Zelda lost her mother and sibling she was alone too, but not because she wanted to be.

She rolled around in the bed of guest room and sighed into the pale blue silk sheets. Maybe some fresh air and some water would help her sleep she decided as she threw away the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Zelda put on the robe Shad and Ashei brought to her earlier that evening and put on her pink fluffy shoes before heading out the door and quietly tiptoeing away. Who would care that she was wearing fluffy bedroom shoes; everyone was too consumed by sadness to even notice it, Zelda herself wouldn't have left the room wearing them were she not so mentally and emotionally tired.

Walking up a set of stairs in order to leave the underground castle, Zelda hugged herself to protect her front from the chilly night air as she emerged in the throne room. No guards were in sight; they were probably all gathered up in the lake below guarding the base of the waterfall and the stone tunnel she used to reach the top entrance of the castle, the only path non-Zoras used to visit the Zora leader.

Zelda made her way to the top of the waterfall and glanced down below, seeing darkness and only darkness. She took a small step forward, determined to try and see something, taking extra care to keep her feet away from the edge.

"Careful not to fall." With a gasp, she took two steps back and whirled around, placing her fists before herself and searching in the shadows for whoever talked to her. With a quiet chuckle, the person stepped into the dimly lit area, arms open in a sign of silent invitation "Well, come at me."

She lowered her fists, the right side of her lips pulling up in a crooked smile and straightened her back. "For what? So you can lose again?"

Link chuckled again and circled his arms around her once she stepped within his reach. Zelda wrapped her arms loosely around his torso and rested her forehead on the crook of his neck, feeling his soft breath fan her ears. She heard after a moment a particular shaky breath that left his lips, and she pulled away to look at his troubled face.

"You seem upset." They said in unison, quietly laughing afterwards.

A brief moment of silence, then, "I have something to tell you," he started, unconsciously tightening his grip in her shoulders, "It's about Rutella." When he said nothing afterwards, Zelda pulled back, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth.

She exhaled loudly through her parted lips, suddenly afraid of meeting his eyes, "Link, tell me you aren't responsible for her death."

He ran a hand down his face, "Zelda..." and then grabbed his own hair roughly, "I..."

"Oh Goddesses..." The princess turned away from him, bending over slightly, "Oh Hylia..." She whispered as she slowly eased herself to a kneeling position on the small portion of grass near the entrance.

"No," Link was kneeling before her in a blink of an eye, slowly reaching out for her hands, "Not like that." She didn't pull away, which was a good sign, but she didn't seem to be totally pleased by it. "I am, partially, though." They simultaneously took in a sharp and shallow breath, the Assassin choosing the right words, and the princess preparing herself to what was to come. "I knew about the attack, but I didn't reach her in time," he looked away, ashamed of his incompetence, "I couldn't save her..."

Zelda laced her fingers with his in a silent signal of support, met his gaze and smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry I accused you for... For murdering her."

The assassin shook his head, "It's fine, really." He stood, taking her with him, and led the princess to a less illuminated part, where he could pull down his hood without being caught by a guard. "At least I was able to catch the intruders... Not one of them survived, but still..."

They sat together side by side, he playing with her fingers and trying to distract himself a little while she tried to make his features out in the scarce light. His attempts to distract himself didn't work and so Link decided to tell her more. "She only died after the assailant was dead, though... And she asked me to look out for her son until everything settled."

"And what are you going to do?" She asked, though she already knew his answer, but Zelda felt compelled to ask nonetheless.

He grasped her hand, using his other hand to trail patterns on the back of hers, "I'll do what she asked me to." Link directed his gaze to their hands as he quietly added, "But I must admit that I'm afraid."

Zelda brought her free hand to his face and caressed his cheek, the skin softer than the last time she touched it, "Afraid of what, Link? I thought you didn't fear anything."

"And I didn't, but after today..." He trailed off with a heavy sigh, still unable to meet her eyes, "What if... What if I don't get to you in time?" Her hands ceased the comforting motion on his cheek and she stared at him paralyzed, "It could've been you."

She remained silent, searching for the right words and the right way to comfort him. Zelda didn't expect it to affect him so greatly, and she could only imagine that some time in the past Rutella was important to him. But still Link didn't seem like the type of person who would doubt himself; he usually emanated confidence, flowing off his body in waves of energy that usually boosted her own. It was no wonder that she managed to face him that night, the most dangerous and feared assassin fighting the petite princess of the kingdom.

But that could not explain, however, how she stood up against her two guards, injuring one of them and fighting the other. That was her own confidence, her sheer courage which she had stored up in her that Zelda never had a chance to use before that event.

Licking her lips, she dropped her other hand on his and clasped it. "Don't be silly, Link. Nothing's going to happen, and besides, I can fend for myself."

"I swore to myself that I'd protect you!" Their eyes met then, his blazing with fire and resolve, while hers were wide and startled by his sudden outburst. Link waited to speak again, waited for his nerves to calm down, waited for the Zoras that were guarding the base of the waterfall believe that they had just imagined things, and waited for his princess to blink away her fear. "Zelda, I've been watching you long before I killed your father." She flinched at his words and briefly wondered how she could love – was it really love? Yes, definitely – the man who murdered her father. "I won't forgive myself if anything happens to you!"

Zelda looked away briefly, "Don't doubt yourself, Link. If you don't trust yourself, who will?"

Averting his gaze, he muttered into the gentle breeze, "I like to think you will."

"I always will trust you, Link." She smiled widely, "Please, don't be so harsh on yourself. I'm sure Rutella doesn't blame you for anything, nobody does."

Link smiled, grateful that she would always be on his side, and watched in silence as she kissed his knuckles before standing up. Zelda looked around whilst tightening the robe around her, unintentionally giving Link a brief peek at her pale peach colored silk nightgown. He understood then that she was retiring for the night, something he should be doing too. Standing up, he wiped his hands on his rear to get rid of the dirt and offered, "I'll accompany you to the doors."

She looked at him, smiling, "So I see you decided to abandon the bearded look."

He rubbed his chin and slipped one hand into the pocket of his pants, smiling when she reached up and touched his fingers. "I was going to shave in the morning, but the kids woke up earlier than expected and pressured me to take them to Castle Town as soon as possible."

Zelda giggled, lowering her hand and folding them together before her body. She gazed at the flowing water, feeling slightly confused and a little tired, "Where are you going to stay the night?"

"My camp is nearby, don't worry." The touch of his fingers on her hair made her shiver and she resisted the urge to lean into his touch.

"Oh, good," Zelda fiddled with the pendant of her necklace that rested on her collarbones, "I was about to offer you to stay with me if it was too far from here."

Link found the perfect opportunity to lighten the mood – and to tease her and get her all flustered up as well. Brushing one strand of her hair behind her ears, he graced her with the most seductive smile he could manage, "Oh, so you want to spend the night with me."

Her eyes snapped wide open and her cheeks tainted soft pink, the color spreading down her neck and all the way to the tips of her ears. She coughed into her palm and half turned away from him, leaving his hand hovering in the air, "I just don't want you to spend the night in this cold weather."

He hummed low in his throat and lazily kicked the ground, slipping his other hand inside the pocket as well, "And you'd keep me warm by spooning with me while we slept." Link actually felt the air shift around then as she scowled and fully turned away from him. Chuckling, he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them a few times, "Relax, I'm only joking."

Zelda turned around; Link kept his hands on her shoulders and met her eyes expectantly. "I'd like to spend a night with you, yes." She murmured after a few heartbeats, the light pink blush on her face never fading.

They remained like that, in silence and staring at each other, for a long while, each contemplating the words that just left the monarch's mouth. After some minutes, Zelda convinced herself that she had said something very wrong, for Link hadn't said anything yet, nor moved, nor blinked.

"I- I'm sorry- I- Oh Goddessess, I- I have to go," She hastily turned and hurriedly walked away and into the throne room, then into the door leading to the underground palace.

Link stood frozen in place, hands hovering in the air as they slowly descended to hang by his side. He blinked once, twice, fiercely shook his head and closed his eyes tightly as he fought the sudden wave of chuckles that threatened to escape his mouth. Zelda was truly something he intended to protect and keep in his life until his days came to an end.