Link spared little time pondering over Ganondorf's enigmatic appearance: as soon as the usurper king had disappeared, he shot to his feet and headed for the door. The two guards outside made no move to prevent Link from leaving, and as soon as he had entered the deserted and darkened corridors snaking away from the throne room, he broke into a run.

As his footsteps echoed loudly through the abandoned halls, a faint wave of anxiety passed over Link as concern for Zelda washed away any thoughts of Ganondorf. The fear – what terrified Link the most – was the thought of Zelda being captured and used as bait by Ganondorf's guards. If the situation ever arose, if the choice came between Zelda's life and Hyrule's freedom, what would Link choose?

The life of one or the lives of many? He prayed to the Goddesses that his choices would never come down to that, and he took the stairs two at a time as he sprinted back down to the main hall.

The hall was as crowded and bustling as he had left it, the bright warmth of the room a sharp contrast to the chill of Ganondorf's throne room. Link's honed eyes scanned the area for a sign of Zelda's cream-colored dress, his heart thumping each time he passed over an unfamiliar face…

Link plunged through the stubborn crowd, forgetting his manners as he forcibly shoved himself through the body of partygoers, many of whom passed him over with haughty looks as he pushed his way through. Hopefully – hopefully – Zelda would still be waiting for him at their table…

As he emerged from the crowded center of the main hall and fought his way to the relatively empty outer edges of the room, he swept the various tables and seats until – praise the Goddesses! – his eyes fell upon Zelda, who was sitting rather nervously where they had parted earlier. She was twirling a strand of blond hair and looking around the hall nonchalantly, trying to hide the anxiety clearly written on her face. As soon as her sapphire-blue eyes fell upon him, she broke out into a smile. Link ran back to her, his muscles sagging in relief.

"Link!" she cried, getting up from her seat, her face relaxing immediately.

"Sorry I kept you waiting," he murmured, hugging her tightly. "How long was I gone?"

"An hour," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "I was… well, you're back now."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Link pointed to her hand, which was shaking and clutching a half-empty glass of wine. Zelda let out a nervous laugh.

"Well, if everything's alright with… Link, what happened to your hand?"

In a moment of carelessness, Link had accidentally exposed his wounded left hand as he reached for a glass of wine. He hastily withdrew his hand, but the damage had been done: Zelda's own hand shot out and gripped his tightly, forcing his palm up.

She gazed in silence at the bloody knife wound, which had not yet completely congealed, and which had coated the outlines of his palm in crimson. Zelda slowly looked up, a mixture of shock and fear on her face. "Link…"

"It's nothing bad," he muttered back, casting an anxious look around them for any eavesdroppers. "Just a blood oath…"

"A… a blood oath?"

"Yeah," Link said humorlessly, wrapping a napkin around his hand. "Ganondorf gave us all a knife, made us sign our names in blood…"

Zelda looked slightly disturbed. "Whatever for?"

Link shrugged. "To prove our loyalty to him, I suppose. It doesn't make a damned bit of difference either way."

"Does he… suspect you?"

"I think so," Link answered, as casually as he could, "but he's a paranoid man, Zelda. He suspects everyone and trusts nothing. If he really thought I was… well, I wouldn't be here talking with you."

Zelda slumped back down onto her seat, clutching faintly at the bottle of wine. "I think I need another drink."

"But you never do."

"I know."

Link took the bottle from her shaking hands and poured the wine into her glass, before topping his off in a generous helping. He looked closely at Zelda: she was doing her best to hide her distress as she took a small, measured sip of wine.

"Zelda…"

"I know, you can take care of yourself," she sighed, playing with her hair again in a nervous habit. "I just wish…"

She ended her sentence, gazing at Link softly, and he quickly spoke. "Shall we go outside? The courtyard?" he suggested, wanting to take both of their minds off of Ganondorf.

Zelda gazed at him with her crystal eyes, hesitating only briefly, before smiling. She extended her gloved hand, and Link took it graciously, entwining his fingers with hers.

"Come on," he encouraged, leading her away from the main hall and to the relative obscurity of the castle courtyard. "We've got some talking to do."


In contrast to the forbidding black marble of the castle, the courtyard seemed almost tranquil, as if Ganondorf had not yet found the time or inclination to spoil it. The onset of fall and the lack of attention had caused the courtyard's grass to become wild, overgrown, like a tangled mass of hair carpeted with sprinkles of red and gold from fallen leaves. Several trees had been cut down, as evidenced by their stumps that still remained stubbornly in the earth, but one ancient Deku-tree that was bent from age and the weight of its branches still remained in a secluded corner of the courtyard. Beneath this tree was a small, cracked stone bench, barely large enough for two.

"Shall we sit?" Link asked, pointing towards the bench beneath the Deku-tree.

"Alright," Zelda agreed, wrapping her thin dress more tightly around herself to ward away the autumn chill.

Link noticed her shivering, and since he was without a coat, instead wrapped his arms around Zelda and pulled her close. She put up no resistance, didn't even utter a word in surprise, as if she had been expecting him to do such a thing.

"Is that better?"

She nodded her head, clutching him tightly. He marveled at her warmth, her closeness, and at the same time lamented the fact that she was inevitably destined for the throne. And when would he tell her? Every time he mustered the courage to reveal Zelda's true heritage, he retreated. It was foolish, perhaps even childish, of him to keep such an important revelation from her, but he wanted to keep her by his side, just a little longer. It was selfish of him to put his desires over the needs of Hyrule, Link admonished himself, but he had long since realized that the reason he was fighting Ganondorf's reign was for her. Not for his father's oath, not for Hyrule's need, but for his princess.

My queen, he mentally corrected, understanding that when she ascended the throne, she would attain the royal crown as well. And despite being a noble, he was faced with the unwelcome realization that he would be far less of an attractive prospect than some foreign prince or wealthy king.

No, Zelda wouldn't marry some fawning foreign fop, Link thought, before scowling again as he realized that was precisely what she would do, if the marriage would benefit Hyrule best. The part of Zelda's personality that he admired the most, her caring and selfless devotion to the people, would ultimately drive her away from him and into the cold embrace of duty. Yes, Link pondered, she would make an excellent queen. And, as selfish as it was, that was what saddened him the most.

They had reached the stone bench under the tree, and Zelda looked at Link, obviously uncomprehending of the turmoil raging in his thoughts. Her cheeks were slightly red - from the drink, or from their proximity, or from the cold – and the smile on her face was as bright as her eyes.

"Are you alright, Link?" she asked, seating herself on the bench and gently guiding him down next to her.

"Of course," he lied, trying to make his voice airy and light. "Have you… enjoyed tonight?"

"Greatly," she assured him, smiling and leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's been the most fun I've had in awhile… although, I must confess, a certain amount of anxiety has been hovering in the back of my mind the entire night."

She didn't have to say why, because the same fear lingered in Link's mind as well: that Ganondorf knew of his treasonous actions, and would arrest them both. It had been a risk to go tonight, and on reflection, Link wondered if it had been wise to bring the princess-in-hiding right under Ganondorf's nose. He immediately scolded himself for such careless behavior: his emotions, as Shiro would have said, were getting the better of him.

"You know," Zelda said softly, squeezing Link's hand. "You've changed, so much. Everything has. I wish…"

She trailed off abruptly, gazing off into the darkness of the courtyard with wistful eyes, before continuing. "Do you remember that day we picnicked in the country side?"

"Of course I do," Link replied. "My father was taken away that day."

Zelda's face was a blank mask. "Did you ever find out what happened to Aleron?"

Link's insides contorted painfully for a brief second, a ghastly vision of the skeletal and tortured face of his father flashing in front of his eyes. The stench of the dungeon reeked in his nostrils and the metallic tang of blood filled his senses…

"… no."

Zelda sighed, eyes downcast. "Do you think… he might still… be alive?"

Link shook away the haunting images of his father until only the darkness of the courtyard and Zelda's face remained. He took a deep, steadying breath, blinking his eyes furiously to repress the sudden surge of emotion.

"He's with my mother now," Link answered quietly. Zelda said nothing, looking down at her lap in silence.

"When I was in the market, weeks ago," she murmured, finally speaking, "there was a public execution."

Her grip had become very tight, and her face had lost some of its color, as if she could barely stand to remember the horrible memories. "Sometimes I still dream of it… rivers of blood… and… the reek of death…"

Zelda shuddered, her voice breaking apart, before she regained her composure and continued to speak. "After the executions, I was attacked by one of Ganondorf's guards…"

Link said nothing, only holding Zelda tightly to him as if to ward away the bad memories. She took a deep breath, and when she next spoke, her voice was clearer.

"That day, on Aleron's arrest, you told me that you would always protect me," Zelda said, looking up into Link's eyes.

"And I promised you that I would," Link said quietly, trying to smile. "And I don't intend on breaking that promise."

Zelda smiled, her eyes shimmering with crystal tears. "Then it was you who saved me," she whispered. "I knew that it was you, but I wasn't… I couldn't be sure…"

She moved her face closer, enticingly, and Link suddenly became aware that his hands were acting of their own accord, planting themselves on her waist, roving up her back… His eyes widened slightly as she brushed against him unexpectedly, sending an electric shock running through his body.

"Zelda…"

She paused only inches away, her eyes as wide as his in shock and surprise. For an eternity, they stood there dumbly like two statues in a perpetual state of longing. Then, her cheeks flushed red, and she backed away guiltily.

The air rushed back into the gap left in her absence; the world that had seemed so still suddenly sprang back into life. And Link's heart, which had been on the verge of bursting from his chest, suddenly retreated in a disappointed manner.

"I… I'm sorry," Zelda gasped, looking horrified and staring at Link as if afraid of him. "I don't know what… I didn't mean…"

"Zelda," Link said, urgently, reaching out and gripping her arm. He opened his mouth, but he failed to articulate any of the confused, raging thoughts that were swirling nebulously in his mind.

"I'm so sorry, Link," Zelda murmured, looking panicked. She leapt up from the bench as if it was electrocuted, tearing herself away from Link's grip. "We… we should go."

She turned, head bowed, and walked away from him back towards the castle. Link watched her numbly for a second before jumping onto his feet and running after her.

"Zelda! Wait! Zelda!"

He caught up with her, taking hold of her hand and stepping in front of her to block her path. "Wait – Zelda – what… what's wrong…?"

"It's… it's so strange!" she exclaimed, looking away from him. "You… you're my best friend… and… and… this can't work!"

"Why can't it?" Link demanded, his voice rising heatedly. "Zelda, I don't understand!"

"I'm… Link, it's improper!" she said, trying to free herself from his grasp. "You're my benefactor's son! Aleron wouldn't have wanted this between us…"

"Who are you to say what my father would have wanted?"

"You're a noble," she moaned, looking away from as a single tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm just… a servant."

"You're my best friend!" Link said fiercely, "and I don't give a damn if you were – if you were the Princess of Hyrule or some beggar on the streets. Do you think I care, Zelda?"

His voice had grown steadily louder, and she looked slightly alarmed at his fierce disposition. Immediately, Link softened, running a hand through her hair and stroking her cheek.

"Zelda, Zelda…"

"It's… it's just so strange," she gulped, wiping away her tears.

"No, it's not," Link replied. "We're both Hylians, aren't we? Our blood is worth the same."

"I… just…" She took a deep breath, her body trembling in his arms. "Link, forget about it. Just forget this happened."

"I won't," he said firmly. "You mean everything to me, Zelda. You're all I have left. I would do anything for you."

"How touching."

Zelda let out a small gasp of surprise at the sound of Vaati's mocking voice. Link stiffened, slowly revolving on the spot to face the sneering noble.

"Quite the commotion you two are making," Vaati said silkily, his voice barely a whisper in the cold night wind. "Just want to make sure that everything is… alright."

"Everything is fine," Link replied, his jaws grinding together in anger. Vaati seemed completely unconcerned by his attitude, looking over Link's shoulder to where Zelda stood, her body shaking violently and the crystalline tears on her cheeks glinting in the moonlight.

"My, my…" Vaati said softly, eyes flashing maliciously. "What have you been doing to this poor girl, Sir Hylia?"

Link took a step forward, unconsciously fingering the dagger hidden in his belt. "Vaati, I swear to the Goddesses if you say one more word…"

"Link," Zelda groaned, stepping forward and resting a restraining hand on his shoulder. Her hand was steadier now, and her gentle touch eased Link back. He slowly drew his hand away from his belt.

"Thinking of killing me, Sir Hylia?" Vaati whispered, his snake-like eyes following Link's hands from his belt, where the dagger remained hidden. "Go ahead, if you have the courage."

Link kept his rage under control, his hand shaking with the effort it took to restrain himself from choking the life out of Vaati.

The other noble walked forward, drawing his cloak tightly around himself. His pale skin provided a sharp contrast for his dark eyes: while Ganondorf's burned a malevolent red, Vaati's were dark, almost void-like, in appearance.

"Do you want to know why I am so highly favored by our king, Sir Hylia?"

Link remained silent, but Vaati continued anyways, walking in a circle around Link and Zelda.

"Fifty-seven people. I have personally delivered fifty-seven traitors to our king, all of whom were executed for conspiring against his rule. One of whom, if you remember correctly, was your father."

Link's arm jerked involuntarily; he felt Zelda squeeze his arm tightly and flash him a warning look. Slowly, he took a deep, shuddering breath, and forced himself to glare at Vaati as the other man stopped in front of him.

"I'll tell you right now, Sir Hylia, I do not trust you. The apple does not fall far from the tree, and it wouldn't surprise me to know that you are following in your father's pathetic footsteps. But know this, young knight: tonight, you signed a blood oath to your king, and he does not tolerate traitors."

"You needn't worry," Link lied, gritting his teeth. "I'm loyal to the crown. Otherwise I wouldn't have written my name in my own blood."

"Well, perhaps that can be attributed to ignorance," Vaati answered loftily. "Regardless, Sir Hylia, watch your step… you wouldn't want anything to happen to your Zelda, hm?"

"How dare you-" Link exclaimed, taking a threatening step forward without thinking. Zelda restrained him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him back before he could grab Vaati.

"Control that temper of yours, Sir Hylia. You're treading in dangerous waters already."

With a final, satisfied smirk, Vaati turned on his heel and strode away, his form seemingly blending into the dark night like a shadow. Link watched him go, hatred burning in every pore of his body.

"I'll kill him, I swear to the Goddesses I'll do it," Link muttered, his tense muscles easing up ever so slightly.

"He knows something we don't," Zelda said, worriedly. "Link, I think – I think he knows about you."

"He can't," Link replied immediately. "He was just testing me… seeing if I reacted guiltily to anything he said. He's got no proof, nothing…"

"He doesn't need proof, don't you understand?" Zelda whispered urgently. "He could have arrested you on the spot…"

"I'd like to see him try," Link sneered, wondering if Vaati or one of his thugs were still lurking in the shadows, listening to their conversation.

"Let's just go, Link," Zelda begged. "Let's just go home."

Link acquiesced, understanding that the night was over. He briefly thought back to that moment with Zelda, when they had been so close… but...

He angrily shook the thoughts out of his head, irritated, confused, and saddened that Zelda had rebuffed him. Disappointed. Vaati's unwelcome appearance had only further added to the discontent bubbling inside of Link.

Now wasn't the time to brood. The party may have ended, but the night was still young. And Link had a job to do.