We're close to the end, guys. The next chapter will be the last one and I haven't written it yet. But I'll try to make it extra special!

And I really need more ideas for Zelink stories ): the one I was writing didn't get very far, I picked a difficult theme to write. But tumblr is a place full of inspiring things, and I'm sure I'll start another one-shot collection very soon (though it might not be updated frequently).

But I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter; I just read it again before posting and it gave me all the feels - it's one of my favorites.

Have fun and tell me what you think!

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Chapter Fourteen

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Link didn't expect her to be there in the morning, due to her busy schedule, but she was. Early in the morning, dressed in a cream colored dress, Zelda stood at the doorway of the infirmary holding a tray with his breakfast in it. He smiled, pulling his hood down to meet her lips in a soft and tender kiss. She visited him before nightfall, and he met her in her chambers late at night, where they'd spend hours talking about nothing at all until Zelda fell asleep on her armchair. And every morning, every evening and every night their routine repeated, until Link didn't have a reason to stay in Castle Town anymore. Fully healed and with a heavy heart, he bid his love a comported farewell before her servants when all he really wanted to do was kiss her one last time.

And now Link found himself seated on Epona's back as his eyes swept over the ranch, watching as the goats lazily munched the grass. A little more than three months had passed since his stay at the castle and he returned periodically to deliver more goat milk, but never got to cross paths with her again. One for she was travelling quite a lot lately, meeting with royalties from neighboring kingdoms for diplomatic meetings. And second for Ilia and the kids; after the later found out why he barely stayed in Ordon, they asked him to stay with them for a few weeks before venturing out again.

They usually spent their nights camping at the clearing where his tree house was located, near the spring and sometimes in the ranch. They slept on the outside, the six of them, almost every night for the past three months, except when it was raining or too cold. They made small bonfires and gazed at the stars, ate cookies baked by Ilia and laughed at nothing and everything at once.

Unconsciously, his grip on the reins tightened at the thought of single, rich princes swarming her with flowers and promises of love in order to marry her. She wouldn't fall for them, he reasoned as he kicked his mount, she was already his, even if he didn't have as much money as the nobles and the only thing he could offer her was his love and his services as an assassin. Epona naturally rounded around the goats, so used to the task by now that Link barely had to do any effort at all.

With the goats closed up in the pen, Link hopped off his horse and took it by the reins towards the village, dust rising from the ground with every step they took. If it didn't rain soon again, the pumpkins would surely die and then they'd have a big financial problem. Sighing, he stopped by the stream of water to let his horse quench her thirst, half turning to look at Bo's door when it opened with a crack. "A moment, lad?"

Nodding, he was surprised to see Ilia squeezing her way through her father and the door, smiling at him once she reached him and his horse. The girl took the reins and gently tugged them away from his fingers, walking away with Epona towards the fairy spring. Dusting his pants, Link walked towards the bald man and entered his house once Bo had stepped aside.

"Link," Rusl greeted from his seat on the table, placing the cup of milk near an object he found in Link's house, "We need to talk." Link's eyes widened at the sight of the red velvet bag.

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Two Days Later

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Zelda stretched her arms. For once, she got to see how Dragon Roost looked like and she was quite pleased with it. It was a nice place, albeit a little too hot, but nothing a few bobby pins couldn't solve. The nobles that tried to woo her with stories of wars they participated, wars that she never heard of, were quite disappointed when she didn't seem impressed by them at all. Why would she be? She participated in more fights than they ever did; her man was much more skilled, adventurous, charming than they were and he liked kids and animals too. If Zelda had to choose between marrying any of them or dying alone, she'd choose the latter.

Her unexpected misadventure in Termina was kept a secret from other nobles, except for Ralis and Komali, who were both great friends and close to the princess. A few words reached her people, and when the majority of the population asked for Zelda before the gates of the castle she was already back. Instead of acting like nothing had happened, she gave them a half lie, saying she was attacked on her way back from the Twilight Kingdom. They didn't need to know the Duke from one of Hyrule's ally was responsible for her disappearance and that she was responsible for his death.

The Terminan King was comprehensive when they met in one of those diplomatic meetings, understanding that she killed him in an act of self defense; the king was also aware of how much the Duke's behavior changed ever since he found his ancestor's mask hidden somewhere inside his house, mentioning that if she hadn't taken care of him, his guards would do something on his behalf. He, too, gave his people a half-lie, saying the Duke had gone insane and killed his servants, which was true, and later killed himself out of guilt and disgust.

Now back in Castle Town, all she wanted to do was get her work done and try to contact Link. She wished she could've sent him letters while she was away, but it would take way too long for them to reach him, not to mention that she was constantly moving from kingdom to kingdom. Just as she entered her castle, one of the council members approached her and Shad, delivering envelops and more envelops with documents, requests, letters and such. With a grateful, though tired, smile, Zelda turned to both councilmen and told them she'd retire for the day and have an audience with her people in the following morning.

She nodded at each servant that she met on her way to her chambers, smiling politely at the ones who greeted her. Two maids left her room when she was nearing it and she nodded in appreciation when they told her they had prepared her bath. They curtsied and left the princess alone in her bedroom, and she wasted no time to leave the envelops on her writing table and discarded her clothes so she could take a relaxing bath.

The minutes dragged on and when she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, Zelda decided she had stayed in the bathtub for too long. Putting on a cotton nightgown, she picked the letters on her way to her bed and slipped under the covers, resting her back on piles of pillows before checking the names of the senders. Fanadi, Cole, Golen – wait, wasn't Golen one of her guards? – Alexia, Leroy, Jovani, Rusl...

Rusl? Frowning, she put the other envelops down and opened the lid of that one, taking out the letter and reading it to herself. He must've had known she'd be back that day, for he was so sure of it in the letter that he said he'd stop by the next day to discuss a matter of things. Brow creasing with more and more worry with each letter she read, she returned the paper to the pile and put it on the bedside table. Lying down with her back turned to the letter, she prayed that the words Link and never weren't topics of the matters he wanted to talk about.

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It was an unusual sight, to put it simply, to see a little more than half of the population of Castle Town waiting for the princess outside the throne room. Keeping her confusion sealed inside, she greeted her people with a small smile and few nods of her head as she ascended the steps and walked through the door, proceeding down the long red carpet to seat on her throne. Casting a glance at Shad who stood beside her, Zelda silently agreed that the people wouldn't cause much trouble if they all got inside at once. Maybe the presence of familiar faces will ease some of them while we speak, she mused to herself while she motioned for the guards to let them inside.

With Ashei to her left and guards by the door, she doubted someone would try to do anything reckless – and now before so many people it would be less likely. Not that Zelda believed they would do it, but after all she had been through she had to be prepared for anything. So maybe it wasn't the wisest idea to let everyone inside at once, but she couldn't bring herself to care much about it. Nodding when Shad quietly asked her if they could begin, he announced the session had started and called up the first person on the list.

And so, for hours, she remained on her throne room as her people requested things or thanked her for being a good ruler. She smiled in thanks, though Zelda believed they only called her good ruler because she gave them more attention than her father had. Her loyal friend and advisor scribbled down in his book the things they should take as priority (such as reconstruct the broken bridge, save their harvest from a possible drought, improve the town's hospital facility, clean the underground passageway from animals that were invading people's homes) and the things that wouldn't be as important (fix the fountain in the main plaza, get new Hyrule flags to put around the city in festivities).

Zelda was kind enough to ask Ashei to go to the kitchen and ask the cooks to prepare some snacks to her people that seemed to stick around even after talking to her. It was an odd behavior and she would have frowned if she were not with so many Hylians and humans in the room – and Zoras and Gorons that arrived a tad bit later than everyone. Ralis was there too, standing near her throne with a small group of his guards and advisors. Just what was going on?

Then there was a commotion outside. Her people turned towards the door at the same time she shot up from her seat and materialized her rapier in her hand, Ashei and Shad staying close, both with swords in hand. The early afternoon sunlight that peered through the open doors made it hard to see who the figure that approached the room was, but once the doors closed suddenly she saw who it was. Zelda missed the awed smiles and grins on the people's face at the sight of the assassin, but she didn't miss their gasps when they noticed she had drawn her sword and was prepared to strike.

From experience, Zelda knew exactly where to look in the shadows of his hood to find his eyes and when she did so her pose relaxed, her close friends following shortly. Whispers arose throughout the room but they quickly dimmed out when Link took some steps forward. Giving her weapon to Shad without breaking eye contact, she descended the steps of her throne, coming to meet Link not too far from the center of the room. He swept into a deep bow, carefully keeping his eyes on hers.

"My Princess," he said once he stood straight, smirking slightly.

She saw his smirk and, although she couldn't give one of her own, Link saw when the corner of her lips twitched before she nodded her head, "Assassin," folding her hands before her, Zelda resisted the urge to rock back and forth on her heels. She didn't expect to see him in an audience with her people. "May I inquire why you are here, sir?"

Smirk still in place, Link reached for the red velvet bag that was kept in a pouch by his hips. "I have a request, Your Highness."

Blinking in amusement, and hoping he could see them in her eyes, she motioned with her hands for him to continue, "What is it?"

The smirk vanished as he slowly untied the knot on the black string and Zelda resisted the urge to swallow. He reached inside the bag, slowly pulling the object out, "Your Highness," her eyes snapped up to meet his, but she missed them, for in one swift motion Link had dropped to one knee and risen the unknown object forward and above his head, in a sign of offering, "would you give me the honor of marrying me?"

In his hands Zelda saw a tiara, the very same she had used to marry the deceased noble, the same tiara she threw at him in a rage fit, the one she told him to sell. Frozen in place, she was shocked both at his request and at his gesture of keeping it against her wishes. And he used a tiara with such a tragic history as an engagement ring.

From all around them, murmurs arose again and she recognized the voices of her new council coming from behind her; for how long were they standing there anyway? Did they know it? Clenching her jaw, she realized that they did. Everyone knew it, that's why there were so many people present, that's why none of them left. If she rejected his request it would be such a humiliation.

The people quieted down once more when she slowly moved her hands before hesitating and finally bringing them up to her head. Link looked up and watched as she delicately took off her own, cradling it against her chest before slightly bowing her head forward. The assassin stood on his feet and placed the circlet on her head, tilting his head to the side and smiling lovingly at her when she looked up at him. The blush on her face wasn't very noticeable, but it made her look cuter than he expected. Zelda gave him a small smile fighting back the urge to jump on his arms and kiss him, and turned around searching for a maid, "Provide more vacant space in my closet, please." The maid smiled brightly, nodded and remained rooted to the spot, but Zelda didn't care.

Ashei and Shad approached the pair and the woman presented them with one of her small and rare smiles, before they slowly eased themselves to one knee with a hand over their heart and their head bowed low. Everyone in the room followed suit, giving the new couple their blessing. Link noticed how her eyes got watery and raised his hand to cup her cheek briefly; she turned her head, kissing his palm and smiling widely against his skin before pulling back and pressing her fingers lightly on the inner corner of her eyes.

Seconds later everyone was on their feet applauding and whistling and Zelda caught sight of his friends from Ordon, finally letting her mask to fall and grinning at them as tears escaped from her eyes.