Although she hadn't spent much time in the library during the past few years, it was to that room that Zelda found herself retreating to as she left behind the embarrassment and awkwardness of Aleron's gala. For some reason, the feel of a dusty and weathered novel in her hands had a calming effect when she was a child – maybe a part of her subconscious was urging her to hide in the familiar surroundings of the library and lose herself in a fantasy world.

She wasn't angry at Aleron – although perhaps she was a little disgusted at his drunken error – but his casual words about her dead parents had struck an odd chord inside of her. Just so quickly, so casually, he had said it: her parents were dead, killed during the war.

Maybe it was the fact that Aleron was celebrating the homecoming of his son, but the knowledge that she never had and would never know her parents had an unsettling effect on Zelda. She knew so little about her past – Aleron had always been hesitant to discuss it with her – and she knew scarcely anything about her parents. And for him to so lightly mention the fact in front of the Hylian nobility, many of whom both she and Aleron detested?

It was a lapse in judgment that could not be blamed on drink alone, and Zelda privately resolved to confront Aleron about the incident the next day, when he was sober. She needed to know, needed to solve the riddle of her past. She was twenty, and by the Goddesses, she didn't intend to spend the rest of her life stuck in Hylia manor and serving as a glorified servant.

She wanted to do something with herself, be independent. Help free her country from the decaying manacles it was chained in. While Aleron opposed king Ganondorf in private, she wanted to make her sentiments heard, even at the risk of her own life.

Oh Goddesses, she thought, as she closed the library doors shut behind her. I really need to take my mind off these things…

Zelda selected a book at random, carelessly grabbing a text from the shelf, and flopped down on a plush green sofa that looked like it hadn't been used in years. She looked at the book title, noticing the faded black ink at top. Keaton's Tales.

She smiled, briefly lost in childhood nostalgia. Keaton's Tales had been one of her favorite readings as a child – it was a book composed of several short stories, all featuring the mystical yellow-furred fox named Keaton, that detailed his adventures and teachings in the land of Hyrule. She remembered staying late up into the night reading about Keaton's clever escapes from hunters, or the fantastic prizes he would grant to people who could answer his riddles.

As Zelda settled herself comfortably into the sofa and eagerly flipped through the musky pages of the ancient book, she was interrupted by a faint rapping on the door. Rather annoyed and cross, she decided not to answer the door. Hopefully, whoever it was would figure out that the library was empty and would leave her in peace.

Unfortunately, no luck. The door creaked open and Link poked his head in cautiously, scanning the various couches and chairs until he found Zelda on the green sofa. "There you are," he said softly, stepping inside the library and closing the door behind him.

Zelda didn't respond, choosing instead of bury herself in the book and make an attempt at reading. And Keaton said to the little boy, "I will ask you three questions. If you can get all of them right…"

Link sat down at the end of the sofa, hesitantly, watching her with a curious expression on his face.

"… then I will give you a valuable treasure. But you must pay attention…"

"Zelda?"

"… for if you answer incorrectly, I will disappear in a puff of smoke…"

"Zelda."

Having enough, she peeked over the top of her book, an irate expression on her face. "Ah, so you remembered my name?" she asked, rather acidly.

Link sighed, as if he had been expecting her to react in such a fashion. "Look, Zelda, I didn't mean to…"

"Completely ignore me?" she replied, feeling a bit childish, but nonetheless feeling slightly vindicated.

"Yes," he said. "Earlier today, when I first saw you, I – I thought it was you. But I wasn't sure, since it had been so many years, and I didn't want to address a complete stranger on an overly personal level."

"Hm," was all she said, flipping to another page in the book.

"It was wrong of me," Link admitted. "Will you forgive me?"

Zelda didn't deign to reply, reading the next page of Keaton's Tales in silence. And then the next page, and the next. Finally, ten minutes had passed, and she had finished the first three short stories. She glanced up from the book: Link was still sitting at the foot of the sofa in awkward silence. She felt slightly exasperated, but the coldness in her heart did melt slightly – at least he seemed a bit repentant.

"If you're angry at me for what my father said earlier," Link murmured quietly, "then I can't blame you. It was terribly rude…"

"No, I'm not angry at Aleron," Zelda sighed finally, closing her book. "I know he was drunk."

Link smiled cautiously, obviously pleased that she had spoken. "Does he drink much?"

"Yes, but usually not to the point of intoxication; and if he does so, he usually has the courtesy to stay in his private chambers."

"Well, I suppose tonight was a special occasion…"

Zelda sniffed. "Yes. A special occasion."

"Not that I'm trying to defend his actions," Link added hurriedly. "Do you think I enjoyed watching him make a fool of himself in front of the entire Hylian aristocracy?"

"Of course not," she replied. "But it was lucky he didn't say anything foolish."

"Yes, well, I need to talk with him about that tomorrow," Link said, with a dark look, and he cast a sideways glance at the library door as if afraid of eavesdroppers. "I saw the marketplace on my way home this afternoon – 'King' Ganondorf obviously doesn't care about the conditions the average Hylian is living in."

"Neither do the nobles," Zelda added. "They're all just a bunch of petty, corrupt…"

"Not all of them," Link said quietly. "Some are good men, but I imagine it's hard to do anything with the king's soldiers always checking your every move. Ganondorf certainly has gone to great lengths to secure his power."

"You've been away in Termina for too long," she accused. "At least you haven't had to suffer through his depravity."

There was a brief pause, and Zelda became aware of how heated her last words had grown; somehow, she had gotten to her feet, although she didn't remember standing up. Slightly disconcerted, she fell back onto the couch, arms folded, waiting for Link to make a retort.

His next words were unexpected. "Your dress looks well on you."

"…thank you?"

"Does it fit well?"

"I… yes, it does," she admitted. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I purchased it for you in Termina," he said, matter-of-factly. "It would have been a waste if I had returned and discovered that it didn't fit."

"You… you bought this?" Zelda asked, surprised.

"Of course. Who else would have?"

"I thought… well, never mind. Thank you, though. It is beautiful." She did feel touched, and some of her previous anger lifted.

"It's a rather plain dress," Link continued, contradicting her statement, "but it looks beautiful on you."

She had no words to acknowledge his last compliment. Her cheeks flushed a slight shade of red and she looked down at her hands.

"I suppose that is a compliment?"

"It is."

A brief silence followed, both of them sitting awkwardly on opposite ends of the couch. For some reason, Zelda couldn't bring herself to force her eyes upward: she had the acute feeling that Link was staring at her.

"You've changed," he said quietly, breaking the brief silence.

"Seven years tends to do that to people," Zelda smiled softly, looking back up. His steady blue eyes held her in a trance: for several seconds, she thought she was looking into a deep pool; such was the depth in Link's gaze.

"There's a hardness in your eyes," he noted, "and defiance. You said… you've suffered under Ganondorf's reign?"

"All of Hyrule has," she sighed. "Although the aristocracy is much better off than the average citizen."

"No one will oppose Ganondorf?"

Zelda laughed, sadly, emptily. "Who would? Most of the nobility are corrupt and firmly in Ganondorf's pocket. The peasants are too busy struggling for basic survival to plot against the king."

"Rebellion is brewing," Link stated, shrewdly. "I could sense it when I passed through the market, and saw the depravities the people were suffering from."

She shrugged, helplessly. "Rebellion has been brewing for a long time. But there's no one to lead the charge, nobody to ignite the spark."

"Surely someone…"

"Oh, there have been people," Zelda amended, "many people, who have tried. But Ganondorf's elite – the Gerudo – they kill any dissenters, no matter how well protected or hidden. That's the key to his control: he removes the rebellion's head before any action can be taken."

"Gerudo?" Link asked, interest piqued. "Who are they?"

"Ganondorf's eyes and ears," Zelda murmured, instinctively lowering her voice. "And his assassins."

Link pondered her words for several long minutes, staring thoughtfully into space. The mood seemed palpably tense, as if the repeated mentions of "Ganondorf" and "Gerudo" were vile curses. Zelda couldn't help but glance at the library door once, expecting it to burst open and a troop of Gerudo to file in – thank the Goddesses that it was only her imagination.

"No man is invincible," Link said finally, gazing at Zelda intently. "Surely there must be a way to kill Ganondorf?"

"Wait for him to die of old age?" Zelda scoffed. "The king is as paranoid as he is ruthless – that's how he has stayed in power for twenty years without major opposition."

"You sound defeated," Link said dryly.

She shook her head vehemently. "It would be weak of me to be so easily crushed, especially when thousands of Hylians do not have the luxuries I do and still forge on."

"Good," he smiled, eyes glinting. "I knew I sensed some defiance in your eyes. There's still fire in you."

"Not so much fire," Zelda said. "Just a desire to… make everything right again. Like in those stories that Impa tells me about Hyrule's Golden Age. When the Royal Family ruled justly, and the land and its people prospered."

"You would make a good queen," Link offered in jest.

"It's difficult enough managing the affairs of this manor, much less an entire country," she smiled, "but thank you for the compliment."

"That's two this evening," he chuckled, standing up from the couch and offering his hand to her. "Would you like to dance?"

"Whatever for?" she asked, staring at his extended hand in amusement.

Link shrugged. "Just for the sake of dancing. Must there be a reason to everything?"

Zelda took his hand, noting its pleasant warmth and strength, and she slowly rose from the couch, keeping her eyes trained on his face all the while.

"It's a bit hard to hear from this room," he said, cocking his head to the side, "but if you listen carefully, the orchestra is playing a rather slow ballad."

Link placed his other hand gently on her waist, drawing her closer to him, and for some reason, their sudden proximity made Zelda's heart beat wildly. He took the lead, effortlessly drawing her close, matching her each step with one of his own. She was surprised by his apparent skill in dancing, especially because Link did not seem the type to indulge in such an activity.

"Where did you learn to dance this well?" she asked.

Holding her firmly with one hand, he dipped her low to the ground, his face hovering mere inches away from her own. "It was part of my training as a knight," he explained. "Courtly etiquette, and all that. Where did you learn to dance so well?"

"Aleron thought it only proper of a lady," she said, slightly dismissively. "I never much enjoyed dancing, myself."

"We can stop, if you want."

"No," she said quickly – a bit too quickly, for she thought she saw a faint smirk on his face. "For old time's sake… I can endure this one dance with you."

"You make it sound like a chore," he laughed, effortlessly bringing her back up and twirling her beneath his arm.

She only smiled, taking a brief moment to examine Link up close. He certainly had changed much in seven years, from the scrawny boy she had known as a child. His facial features were well set, and he moved with a certain poise that probably came from his knightly training. It took Zelda a confused second before she realized that Link had grown into a rather handsome young man.

"What are you thinking of?" he inquired curiously, his eyes briefly sparking like those of the childhood boy she had once known him as.

"Of how… proficient you've become at dancing," she murmured. "I never would have thought it possible for you to learn appropriate social conduct."

"Ah, yes, I'm quite proud of that myself," he grinned, ignoring her sarcastic jest. "I can handle a sword well, but courtly behavior has always frightened me."

"Apparently, you are past your fear," Zelda smiled, suddenly acutely aware of the feel of his warm hand on her waist. Through the thin layer of her dress, it felt oddly scandalous. "I'm a bit hot. Shall we take a seat?"

"Of course, milady," he replied smoothly, instantly ending the dance by taking her hand and bowing low to her. She only sighed in amusement, seating back down on the sofa and watching as Link perused the shelves of books in the library.

"Do you read much?" he asked, plucking a book at random and flipping through the pages with casual interest.

"Not as much as I'd like to," she said, as he replaced the text and picked out another one. "Which is a shame, because this wonderful library is being claimed by dust and cobwebs."

"We'll have to fix that," Link muttered, walking along the shelves and picking out another book. "The Book of Mudora! Wasn't this banned by our… dear king?"

"It still is," Zelda answered, "but Aleron likes to peruse it every now and again. I think he's trying to remember the Golden Age – when he was still a knight, serving under the rightful king."

"Yes, he told me many tales of his knighthood," Link said, carefully hiding the book amongst the shelves. "I don't understand – surely a knight that has sworn his loyalty to the king would not follow a usurper so willingly?"

Zelda shrugged – she had often asked the same question herself. She knew that Aleron privately detested Ganondorf, but surely he would have made some semblance of resistance rather than endure the Gerudo king's reign so passively.

"I suppose he has his reasons," Zelda said carefully. "Impa says that your father keeps many secrets – although if he does, he has yet to divulge any of them to me."

"Then they wouldn't be secrets, would they?" Link asked, attempting to make his tone light, although she could tell that his curiosity was also piqued. "Regardless, as long as my father is in his… liquor induced state… such questions could probably wait for later?"

"I'm in no position to question your father," she stated. "He is my benefactor after all – it is only fair that I respect his privacy in exchange."

"You have a sense of duty similar to many knights," Link said, slightly humorously, as he returned from examining the bookshelves and sat on the sofa with her. "Although…"

Before he could articulate his thoughts, the doors to the library banged open; both Zelda and Link looked up in surprise. Standing, framed in the doorway like an imposing statue, was a figure dressed in regal black armor and bearing the golden crown and scepter of the Hylian royalty.

Instantly, Zelda felt her insides turn to ice as she stared upon the menacing, brooding visage of Hyrule's "king" – Lord Ganondorf.

"King Ganondorf!" Link said, jumping to his feet uncertainly. Zelda quickly followed suit, watching with a mixture of apprehension and disgust as the usurper king surveyed the library with a long, searching glance.

"I take it that you are Sir Aleron's son?" Ganondorf finally asked, his voice low and cool. Before waiting for Link to answer, Ganondorf continued, striding through the cramped space of the library as if he personally owned the room. "I must congratulate you on your recent knighthood."

Stunned, Zelda watched as Ganondorf extended a sickly-green hand to Link in an apparent gesture of good will. The usurper king kept his malevolent red eyes fixed penetratingly on Link the entire time, as if daring the young man to act foolishly. Slowly, Link reached forward and gripped Ganondorf's hand tightly, firmly shaking it.

"Thank you for this honor, milord," Link replied equally coolly, apparently over his initial shock. Ganondorf smiled, displaying yellowed and decaying teeth: a predator's grin.

"I am pleased with the return of such a fine young knight," Ganondorf declared, releasing Link's hand and gazing at him impressively. "Recently, plots have been raised…treachery is at hand… I fear that the old nobility that I once counted on as allies may possibly be reneging on their vows of fealty."

"You know that I am at your disposal, lord," Link said, keeping his face a blank mask. Zelda could almost swear that the sound of her beating heart was audible – if Ganondorf saw through Link's lies, if he knew of the treasonous talk that she and Link had discussed only minutes before…

"I do not require your services now, although it is good that you recognize where your loyalties lie," Ganondorf said, walking in a circle around Link and Zelda. "You may go far, boy, I see the ambition in your eyes. Just don't overstep your boundaries."

Link remained silently, standing stiffly as Ganondorf completed his circuit and looked, this time, at Zelda. "Who is this… stunning young lady?"

"I am Zelda," she said, speaking for herself, conquering her fears and looking Ganondorf straight in the eye. Link cast her a sidelong glance; she ignored it, heart pounding in her ears.

Ganondorf looked slightly intrigued, which did little to reassure her nerves. "Just Zelda?"

She nodded her head. "I have been raised by Sir Aleron all my life – my parents died when I was but an infant."

"A shame," Ganondorf said, without the faintest trace of sympathy in his burning red eyes. For another tense second, he held her gaze, as if he vaguely recalled her and was trying to remember where they had met before. To Zelda's relief, the moment passed; apparently losing interest, Ganondorf looked away and returned his sinister attentions back to Link.

"I must congratulate you again, Sir Link," he said softly, extending his hand once more. "Unfortunately, I cannot stay any longer. My enemies never take a break from their treacherous scheming – I must always be vigilant."

Link took Ganondorf's hand, bowing slightly. "It was my pleasure, milord."

The usurper king fixed Link with one last, long gaze, before nodding unpleasantly and offering a forced smile. He barely cast a second look at Zelda before he turned on his heel, his heavy boots hammering loudly on the library floor. She watched him go with an odd feeling of foreboding in her heart - Ganondorf knew something that they didn't, and this did little to ease the sudden shadow that had fallen over her heart.