Thank you to Link's Ocarina Babe and Fallen Dragonfly for reviewing the last chapter :)

So here we go, 1 year 9 months and 14 days after my original post and 220 reviews and 11141 hits, on 30 peoples' alerts and 31 peoples favourite list I give you the final chapters of Chameleon Stone as promised. I didn't post the figures to gloat, rather to just say thank you so very much to everyone who has read this story, and to everybody who has reviewed. I doubt very much whether I would have continued without all your support. I really hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it and I trust the ending will not disappoint.

Before signing off for good, I would also like to say a big thank you to: la generala, Booklover13, Link's Ocarina Babe, and Fallen Dragonfly, for all your kind comments and for reviewing nearly every chapter. Your words really did make my day, and finally A HUGE THANK YOU to QuinKilo1055 without whose inspiration this story wouldn't have been quite so entertaining, and without his input, Ganondorf would never have gotten a Seeing Stone in the first place, so THANK YOU.

There, my speeches are done now, and thanks again to everyone for your comments and support. This is a long chapter, so I won't make you suffer any longer with my author note ramblings. ENJOY!!!


Chapter Thirty-Eight– Golden Light of Hyrule

Link feinted to the left and then at the last moment, rolled to the right. Just above his head he heard the crash of metal against stone, as Saeru's tail slammed into the wall. The ground thundered at his feet as she yanked at her poison sting, stuck soundly in the thick marble wall. As she pulled quite a few tiles fell from the ceiling.

Gasping for breath, Link sprinted to the opposite end of the room, carefully avoiding Saeru's long spider-like legs. He had learned pretty early on in the fight that the long, spiky hairs protruding from every inch of those black legs was actually as sharp as a dagger and mildly poisonous. One had lodged in his left shoulder when he had tried to strike her with his sword and his whole arm had gone numb instantly afterwards.

His sword had long since been abandoned on the floor, his numb fingers wholly unable to grasp its hilt. He pressed his back against the wall and gazed up at the goddess. She towered above him, exuberant and vocal in her battle, knowing that he would be spend all too soon. She did not turn around to watch as she dislodged her tail, but kept her eerie, gleaming eyes fixed on him, or rather, fixed on the hand that still clutched at the Chameleon Stone.

With a yell that shook the room, her tail finally came loose and in one motion, too quick to follow, she had flicked it over her head. It slammed into the floor just between his legs. For the tiniest of moments, Link stared at it – that red tipped stinger, dripping with venom, and then his eyes lifted of their own accord to Saeru's. That vile, demonic face was grinning at him, and her eyes flashed. Her purple tongue ran over her teeth, as if savouring the flavour of the blood that constantly dripped from within her. Suddenly, her tail flicked away again and Link's trance was broken.

He darted to the left, following the line of the chamber wall. Dogging his every step, he felt Saeru's tail whipping at his heels. Always she missed, sometimes by many feet, other times by the merest whisper of breath. The Chameleon Stone burned in his hand, scorching the skin even as the poison in his shoulder froze his blood.

Above them all hung Zelda's unconscious form, trapped in a pink crystal, like some vulgar chandelier.

As his tired body fell into the wall on the far end of the room, Link couldn't help but wonder if this was all some sort of very bad dream. His sunk back against the stone, desperate to recover his breath.

Suddenly he felt himself lift slightly, at the same time there was a dull thud of flesh and bone being torn immediately followed by a loud metallic 'clang' than spun through the chamber, hurting his ears. Something had pieced his shoulder. He could feel warmth splattering against his cheek and then dousing the left side of his body and tasted tin in the back of his throat. He glanced down.

His right shoulder was pinned to the wall by Saeru's tail. His eyes widened when he saw the lethal injury but brain didn't quite seem to register the fact he had been hurt so badly. He did notice how very heavy he was beginning to feel and how warm his blood felt. He was glad of the numbness, for he was tired – very tired, and he was beginning to realise that all that blood could only mean a serious injury and a serious injury would mean pain. He didn't much enjoy pain.

His vision seemed to be swimming before him, and everywhere he looked, the world seemed to be edged in red and gold. His body felt heavier and heavier. There appeared to be a weight in his hand. He looked down and saw the Chameleon Stone, glowing pure white in the darkness. He blinked and tried to bring the object into focus.

Somewhere in his mind a voice whispered, urged him 'Make a wish, child.' In a very dim sort of way he recognised the voice and in an equally strange manner, he knew he must not listen to that voice but he no longer knew why. A golden-yellowy sort of light hovered above him. With all his strength, although he did not know what prompted him to make the effort, he raised his eyes to see the golden light. Through his drugged, paralysed vision, he saw the most beautiful creature in the world standing before him, holding the hilt of the sword that had ran through his shoulder, pinning him to the wall.

It was she who had attached him to the wall and she did not look in the least bit sorry for what she had done, rather she looked pleased with herself. Her full red lips curved into the most mischievous smirk. "Oh Link," she murmured, running a cold finger down his cheek. It was as if she knew that was the only part of him that hadn't completely frozen, "Just make a wish, Child, and this will all be over."

Her words were uttered in the most pleasing manner, and quite happily Link felt himself becoming bewitched by her beauty. Her smile widened in triumph. He did not notice how dark the room had become. He only saw the depths of her golden eyes.

"Make a wish. Make a wish. Anything you desire shall be yours." Her voice, teasing and light, was almost as a song. Perched precariously between life and death, consciousness and sleep, Link could only agree with her.

"I wish…" he heard himself say. The dim warning in the back of his mind flared briefly but was soon lost in the magic of those beautiful eyes watching him so earnestly, "I wish…for…" Link's head bowed as he felt the weight of it dragging him down. Something in his hand burned and fizzed and the scent of burning flesh drifted past him. He could feel nothing but emotions though, so numbed he was. "I want the power to defeat you…" he smiled peacefully as he slumped forward, his whole weight resting on the hilt of the sword that pinned him to the wall.

"What a waste, you already had that power." Laughed Saeru, as Link's eyes closed. His hand, which had so carefully held on to her heart, relaxed and the glittering, beautiful, deadly Chameleon Stone dropped to the floor with a clatter, sweet like the chiming of a bell.

The goddess took a deep breath, savouring her moment of victory. She had won at the last moment and her heart, though it was not yet a part of her, rejoiced along with her. It sparkled and danced on the floor at her feet. She knelt down and carefully scooped it up, cradling it as one would cradle a bird, a smile on her face, wickedness in her eyes.

She gazed down at Link's dying corpse and spat at it, "Fool, thinking you could defeat me so easily. I am the goddess of darkness and nightmares; I am not so easily subdued." She kicked his feet out of her way and laughed again as he groaned in response. She would have liked to have seen Lefestra himself in such a terrible position, but he was long since dead. Link was just as good. She hated him almost as much as she hated his ancestor. The venom which slowly killed him would only numb the pain for so long. Before the end, his body would feel as though it was on fire, he would writhe in agony, calling for help, but no water could quench his thirst. He would be eaten from the inside out and she would watch and laugh at his agony.

Still, she wondered how he had discovered the true secret of the Chameleon Stone. Even Lefestra hadn't understood that, and he had been the one to almost control her. Her heart quivered in her hand when she realised just how close she had been to defeat. She could not have taken the Chameleon Stone from him had he not used its power to make a wish. Had he not made a wish then he could have destroyed her. He could have shattered her stone heart into a million pieces. He could have done what Lefestra could not bring himself to do. For once a man makes a wish, and glimpses the power that makes his dreams come true he can never bring himself to truly destroy the thing that makes all things possible. Lefestra had only been able to seal her power away for he had used the Chameleon Stone's strength. By refusing to make a wish, Link had come too close to realising the power he had over her.

But Link had failed and she had won and there was nothing more for her to worry about. She inhaled a breath of sheer joy and raised her heart to the sky, as if to toast the Goddesses who had once banished her from their realm and pressed the stone to her breast.

It glittered and pulsed and was warm against her ribs but it was hard and pushed painfully against her breast, cutting her flesh a little. Her smile vanished into a dark, terrible scowl. "What?"

There was a hushed thud from behind her and she swung around. Her eyes narrowed into a vicious glare as she met Zelda's calm gaze. "You!" she snarled.

"Yes, it is I." Zelda smiled a little behind her sheikah mask, and brushed some imaginary dust of the white bands of her wrist guards.

Saeru looked the Hylian up and down slowly, "Forgive me for being rude, but I am curious – do you genuinely prefer dressing as a man?"

Zelda smirked again and brushed some of her blond hair from blood red eyes. She had adopted the form of Sheik – the alter-ego Saeru had once provided for Link when he had asked for a body to match her Sheikah armour - and in her hand, she held Link's discarded sword. She held the sword forward, aiming it at the Goddess' neck and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"I see you still have the very womanly trick of sulking in you, despite that boyish body." Saeru met the red eyes of the Sheikah calmly, if not a little scornfully. "I don't know what you're hoping to achieve though, Zelda. Surely you are not so naive as to think you can both save Link and stop me."

"It seems to me, oh Saeru, that you are the naïve one, or have you forgotten the power you yourself vested in me? It is that same power that gave me the strength to break free from your prison. It is your power that allows me to shift my form, but it is my own power, the light that shines within me bequeathed to me by Lefestra, which will make you fall."

"Those are big words for a little nuisance." From nowhere, Saeru conjured a sword and rested its black blade against Zelda's borrowed weapon. Zelda could feel the power of the goddess quivering through her arms, through her heart and down to her feet but she did not tremble.

"Light must always banish darkness." Replied Zelda, pushing back with enough force to let Saeru know she was in earnest. Sheik's body was much stronger than her own and it pleased her to realise that she could wield such strength. Her red eyes gleamed with a light all their own as she tilted her head forward and whispered, "I know you for what you truly are: you are not really a goddess are you, Saeru?"

Saeru seemed almost to cower away for a moment, and her hand gripped the Chameleon Stone tightly. "You know nothing of what you speak, Child."

"I know exactly of what I speak – I say you are nothing but a demon. A creature of darkness and destruction – you are the terror that lurks in the darkest dreams; the monster hiding under the bed, you seek nothing but to frighten and cow all into submission. But you are not a creature of light. You are a creature of shadow and deceit and I will send you back into the darkness you came from."

"You Fool…"

"Fool? No, I am no fool." Laughed Zelda, in Sheik's low, gentle voice. "You are the fool for thinking you could trick all whom you meet. You saw Lefestra and saw in him something wonderful, something you desired – it is the same thing you desired in Link. You saw his light and his love and you wanted it for yourself. In the darkness of his dreams you watched him, all the while craving him – his love, his worship. You wanted to be his goddess but in the end you could never change who you really are: you traded your heart for his love and for a while you were worshipped. You became Calatia's goddess by granting impossible wishes but you did not understand, you do not understand – the things you can give people are not truly satisfying. That is why Lefestra betrayed you: he did not - could not - love an illusion, and that is all you are. You ape the form of a goddess: beautiful and magnificent, but at heart you are nothing but a vile shadow."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

"You are nothing." Repeated Zelda, softly, "And now that your heart has a form and it has been purified and nurtured you cannot take it back into yourself for it has become a thing greater than you will ever be. The Chameleon Stone is the heart of a goddess but you are no goddess."

Saeru screamed at Zelda's words and suddenly she charged forward, sword aloft. Zelda countered the blow and struck back, catching the shadow's hair on the silver blade. As it tore from her head, it fell as powder. Saeru screamed again and thrust her sword forward. Using Sheik's agile form to her advantage, Zelda leapt into the air as her opponent's sword slashed forward and with a beautiful, graceful motion, flipped over the goddess' head. She landed in a kneeling position and spun around, dropping the sword. As she spun, her hair came loose from its bands and tumbled all around her face in a golden halo.

Saeru swung around to face her and faltered. "T-the Golden Light…" she stammered, stepping back against the wall.

From Zelda's hands and feet, a bright light shone. It was the colour of the morning sun. It pierced Saeru's intolerable darkness as easily as the sun pieces shadow, and Saeru cringed and cowered before her. It seemed to Zelda that all of the creature's beauty was melting away. The Chameleon Stone shone brighter and brighter, becoming a star in Saeru's claw-like hand. It trembled and jumped visibly.

"It is over, Saeru, Demon of Darkness."

"It is not over." Wailed the creature, "I am a goddess! I am Calatia's goddess. I reign supreme! I have won!"

"You can never win." replied Zelda, raising her hands skywards. The light beaming from her hands narrowed into a single, long beam. With a loud, long hissing noise, it reverted in on itself, revealing its true nature as a long, gold-bladed rapier with a silver hilt. Zelda held it aloft, catching the sunlight that fell from the roof on its blade. All the while Saeru watched, fearful and cowering.

"If you destroy me, you will destroy yourself! We are bonded!" cried the goddess.

"If that is my fate." Zelda shrugged.

Saeru cried out in alarm, and pushed the Chameleon Stone desperately against her breast, as if trying to reunite her heart with her body, even as Zelda slowly, deliberately, threw the blade forward like a spear. As it left her hand, all of the light in the room was drawn to it and it glowed with fire and a radiance that filled the room, pushing the darkness and shadows back into nothing as it passed.

Zelda, in Sheik's graceful form, dropped to her knees and watched. In her eyes it was as though time had slowed. The golden blade flew forward, straight and true as an arrow, filling the air with the soft melody of wind. White and gold fire poured from its hilt, drenching the room with light, banishing the shadows. And then, with a dull thud, it slammed into Saeru's chest, piercing the beautiful Chameleon Stone and passing through her body on into the black marble wall.

Time stopped and Saeru's illusion shattered. Her beautiful form vanished, the dark throne room shifted back into its true form, and the sword pinning Link to the wall faltered and disappeared and he fell into a muddled heap onto the carpet. The only recognisable feature Saeru had was her eyes, they still burned gold in the darkness of her face but all her beauty had gone, leaving her a twisted, gnarled little creature with a hideous face.

Zelda met her eyes calmly. She felt the disguise of Sheik falling from her body slowly as Saeru's power diminished - the blue and white armour seemed to be tearing, as if Saeru herself was clawing at it. The Chameleon Stone pulsed and burned brightly, white in the golden hue of the room and then suddenly, it cracked. The noise was so loud and piercing it shook the very foundations of the castle. The light sword burned brighter. "Curse you, Zelda." Cried Saeru, her voice was evil and dark, and for a brief moment, Zelda swore she could see tears in the demon's eyes. And then the Chameleon Stone shattered. Saeru screamed; a cry more terrible than any nightmare could conjure. Zelda cringed and turned away. A vile, cold darkness washed over her and then there was silence. She turned back and Saeru and the Chameleon Stone had gone. The golden sword trembled for a moment suspended in the air, the tip of the blade buried in the marble wall, and then it fell. Light caught the blade as it dropped, powerless, its job was done and as it hit the floor with nary a sound, it too shattered into dust.

She realised she had been holding her breath, and slowly she exhaled. She tried to rise from her kneeling position, but her body – even clad in Sheik's skin, was exhausted. She had not realised how of herself she had given in creating the golden light. On her hands and knees she crawled over to Link's side.

The poison Saeru had injected into him was slowly dissipating, and he was regaining consciousness. His injuries were very real though and needed bandaging. Fortunately for him, Zelda's outfit was in itself mostly bandages and she used her wrist and shin guards as dressing for his wounds. At some point he did regain his senses but he did not speak, choosing instead to gaze up at her in wonder. As she tied the last knot she met his gaze and smiled, even though tears dripped down her dust-covered cheeks.

"I thought you were dead." She murmured, crashing into him so she could hug him. He groaned in protest, only because it hurt where she touched him and weakly raised an arm to return her embrace. "Oh Link, don't ever, EVER, do that to me again, you hear!" She rested her cheek against his and felt him smile. She adjusted her position slightly so that she was almost sitting on his lap and she leaned fully against him, sighing. "You know, if I had a wish, it would be to stay like this here in your arms, forever."

"I wouldn't." Replied Link, his voice sounded weak and tired, even to himself.

"Huh? Why?"

She raised her head and looked at him, and he smiled at her and through his weariness, she could see a familiar mischief about him that won an instant response from her. "There are many, many reasons why not, Princess." He whispered.

"Then just tell me the most important reason, Stupid."

He grinned properly then and pushed her away slightly as he voiced his concern: "You're still in Sheik's form. Strange that I still want to kiss you though…"


The next few hours were something of a hazy blur, almost as if they had been some form of a dream. A few parts she remembered quite clearly, like when the Judges had burst into the throne room only to find Link and her huddled together in a corner, half-asleep. Of course, the judges didn't recognise her as Sheik and were outraged to discover Link asleep in the arms of some strange looking, half-dressed Sheikah boy. Whether they were more scandalised when the realised the half-dressed boy was actually Zelda, or whether if it just offended them to see how comfortable Link seemed to be embracing her, she did not know, nor care.

Surprisingly, Impa was the one who finally regained her senses enough to realise that both Zelda and Link needed the attention of a healer, and together the pair had been whipped off to the castle infirmary. Zelda vaguely remembered seeing party scenes all around her, and heard people cheering but she did not understand why. She was just too exhausted to take it all in.

It was light when she awoke but she felt as though she had been asleep for a long time. She was in an unfamiliar bed and an unfamiliar room. She noted that all traces of her Sheik disguise had melted away. It seemed all Saeru's influence had been purged from her body. It felt as though a weight she had never known was there had been suddenly lifted. A maid came in soon after she woke, which made Zelda wonder if she was being watched somehow. The young girl was oppressively cheerful, and chatted relentlessly. From her Zelda learned that she had been asleep for a whole day, and that the entire country was in party mode because the Gerudo had all of a sudden fled and somehow everybody believed it was down to her.

Zelda could have easily picked fault with the tale, but as she was quite aware, once a rumour had spread, it would be getting more and more outlandish as it went from ear to ear, each person embellishing the tale with their own take on events, so even if Zelda did correct this one maid and tell her that, in fact, Ganondorf's guards had gotten bored of controlling Hyrule and that his second in command, Nabooru, had used the power of seduction to get him to follow her lead, none of it would matter. The only thing that the people cared about was that the country was free of the Gerudo reign. Hyrule belonged to Hylians.

The maid glanced at Zelda from under her lashes and smiled a little to herself. Their new queen was young and beautiful, and appeared to be hopelessly confused. She couldn't wait to go back downstairs and gossip about her to the other chambermaids. Then she could go and sneak a look at the other injured party: the impossibly handsome Calatian Soldier Rauru and Kru had carried in to the infirmary.

"Oh, Lady Impa said to run you a bath, so I have done, and when you're done if you pull the red chord, I will return with your other maids and we shall kit you out in your finery. Then you've got a meeting scheduled with the Judges. Oh, this is so exciting. Bye!"

Zelda watched the girl go, having avoided speaking one word and she sighed. She recognised there was something odd about how the girl had addressed her, and there had been hints dropped in her conversation about what the nation planned for Zelda, but she had been too tired to pay much attention. But the idea of a bath appealed to her, even if it did conjure up disturbing images of Sir Kwaksalot and Ganondorf.


Much later that day she was permitted to wander the castle halls on her own. She had been loaded into a beautiful silk gown. It had long sleeves that hung from her shoulder almost to the floor, and was carefully sculpted and shaped so that it draped over her form, hinting at every curve of her body without purposely showing them off. It was a pale yellow trimmed in dull gold, and had a short train. Her hair had been cut and styled and piled on top of her head, with only one piece placed at each side to frame her face. She had refused all attempts at ladening her hands and neck with jewellery, and she had still not quite figured out why she was being dressed so elegantly.

She entered the Judges quarters in her own unobtrusive fashion, almost slipping into the room like a shadow.

"Ah, there you are, Zelda. Come in, Dear." announced Rauru, his voice booming across the way, making her cringe with embarrassment. She was relieved to note that the room only had four occupants, the three judges and Link. Of course, once she saw Link, she felt as though she couldn't tear her eyes from him. He was dressed with casual finery, made from only the best materials. He wore pale tan leggings, soft black riding boots, a linen shirt and an embroidered silver and blue tunic over it all. Like her, his hair had been cut and styled in the most flattering manner. He was a very expensive-looking peasant. Plus he had one arm in a sling, which made him look even more appealing.

He half-stepped forward as she stepped into the light, his mouth open and then, for possibly the first time in her life, she saw a deep blush cover his cheeks and he stepped back again, his eyes never once leaving her. Suddenly she started to like the clothes she had been forced to wear.

Impa ignored Link and took Zelda's arm, bringing her to stand before them all, her back to the small fire that burned in the grate. "We have heard all of the battle between you and Ganondorf and Saeru from…him…after a fashion, although he is rather vague about what actually happened between you and the goddess but I believe you fought marvellously, unlike certain other people." Impa glanced once at Link and tried not to snort.

"Yes, yes." Continued Kru, bustling forward. "and we are pleased, most pleased that you proved yourself worthy…"

"KRU!"

"Ah, yes, well…hehehe, Pardon." Kru stepped back to the relative safety of his chair by the fire. Impa had already given him her forthright opinion of his behaviour during the battle and it was only by the skin of his teeth (and some costly bribery) that he retained his title as Judge of Hyrule.

"Yes, we'll come to that later. Zelda, you have done well." Said Impa, looking at her companions pointedly, "and in our humble opinion" [Link snorted at this point] "we recognise who you truly are and we recommend to the people of Hyrule our unanimous decision."

"What decision?" Said Zelda, confused.

All three judges then stepped forward into a line and as one, knelt before her. Rauru held a crown above his head.

"What in Hyrule is this?" Stammered Zelda.

"It looks suspiciously like a crown to me." remarked Link from the corner. She cast a swift glare in his direction, which was met by a trademark grin, which made her choke back a giggle. "I know that."

"It is not just any crown," Began Kru, his voice trembling with excitement. "No, it is the crown of Hyrule…"

"The crown of Hyrule?" She repeated blankly. She looked to her companion for guidance but he just smiled blankly at her. "Why are you offering me this?"

"You are the best person to lead Hyrule." Replied Impa. "You have proven your strength by defeating that monster Saeru and banishing Ganondorf."

"Um… well actually it was kind of a joint effort. Link did most of the work, I just mopped up after him." corrected Zelda, with a smile.

"Yes, but you dealt the finishing blow, besides as which, he has a blemished record. He cannot become a King, though there is a debate whether he is actually a Calatian Nobleman or not, the records are not clear on the subject, but it seems to me-," said Rauru, beginning to lose himself in the sound of his own voice. Impa's coughing brought his attention back to the here-and-now. "Anyway, he might not have told you, but he is a convicted criminal."

"Just out of interest, if I wasn't a criminal, would you have asked me to be King?" interrupted Link. He grinned at the Judges faces as they considered this suggestion.

"Well…um…" began Rauru, racking his brains on how to put their absolute, complete and horrified refusal politely.

Fortunately Zelda came to their rescue by giggling, "Come off it, of course they wouldn't, Link. Nobody in their right minds would put you in charge of an entire country. Why, you can't even look after yourself!"

"Sad but true."

­"Yes, well anyway back to the matter at hand." Impa unceremoniously interrupted the young people's mirth in her usual "cheery" manner. "We are offering you the crown."

"Yes, but I don't want it." Replied Zelda gently.

"Y-you…don't…what?" All three judges exclaimed in unison. Impa recovered first, "But… you could be Queen – Queen of this whole nation: Rich and powerful and glorious beyond all imagination!"

Zelda smiled at this thought, "Although I am unable to deny that there is a princess lurking in every girl, I have no interest in actually becoming one."

"B-But…the power! The Prestige! The Riches and Glory! Surely that means something to you?" stammered Rauru. Before his eyes he saw all his magnificent plans of world domination (or something like that anyway) fading before his eyes. Zelda giggled at this and repeated that she had no interest in being Queen.

"Why?" Impa asked, her voice dangerously low.

"I guess I am not that sort of girl." Replied Zelda sweetly. "And besides, that crown is really ugly. I wouldn't want it on my head. It's probably got lice and everything hiding in there."

"We could wash it – I mean you could design a new one." Said Kru.

Zelda considered this for a long moment, sucking a finger, and then she shook her head again. "No thank you. Why are you so desperate for me to be queen? It's not like I am particularly suited to the post."

"I reckon it's because they know you'd let 'em walk all over you." said Link from his corner. "And don't say you wouldn't because I know you are too kind to say no to the old fogies." He jumped from his seat and crossed to her side, his blue eyes alight with laughter and something she had never seen before in their depths – pride. "For the record though, Princess, I think you would make a fabulous Queen."

"Really?" She didn't know what surprised her more – Link's words or the fact he appeared to be acting serious for once.

"I do."

"See, if even an imbecile can see what we do, then you know that it is right and proper for you to accept this crown." Said Kru.

"And yet I would still refuse. I also object to you referring as Link as an imbecile."

"Oh don't worry about that, Sweetheart, they do it all the time. I'm used to it now."

"I know but you are no such thing and I hate them insulting you." She replied, with some heat. She blushed as she caught the look on his face, and the way his mouth curled into a knowing smile.

"I wonder why…?" he mused aloud.

"Do not for a moment suspect it has anything to do with you." Said Impa coldly. She glared at Link, making little attempt to hide her hostility. "In fact, what are you still doing here? I thought we paid you and sent you on your way hours ago."

"You did." He replied cheerfully, his mood only lightened more as he saw Impa's red eyes glint with annoyance. Nothing, he decided, was nicer than spending an afternoon bugging the judges of Hyrule. Well, there was one thing that he liked a lot more… but he didn't rate his chances of getting to kiss Zelda again, given that she was going to become a queen.

"So why are you still here?" Snapped his number one target. She had long since sat up and folded her arms across her chest, and her eyes had narrowed into two little slits of hatred.

"Princess duty," he replied, "since I'm no longer employed by you, I got myself a new job protecting Zelda."

"Have you?" asked his new employer in some amusement. It was the first she had heard about it.

"Yes indeed." He replied. "Did you forget your wish to remain with me forever? And that kiss that never was, if you hadn't been Sheik at that moment, I would have repeated precisely what happened in the Gerudo cell. Remember that?"

"I can't say that I do." She lied. "Unfortunately, your insanity must have rubbed off on me along our journey and I cannot for the life of me remember having agreed to have you around more than necessary but, oh well, if you insist I won't object."

"Um, Zelda, please may we draw your attention back to the matter at hand?" pleased Rauru, desperately. "You are destined to be Queen of Hyrule. It is in your blood, you really cannot decline such power. You cannot decline serving your country in such a manner, can you?"

"Yes." Said Zelda.

"No." Said Link. He met her accusing glare with an apologetic look. "I mean you cannot back out of your duty. If you are truly the heir to the throne, you should really take the offered crown, although I admit it is ugly and, even set upon your fair beauty, it will look hideous. It must be in your blood to rule - I mean, you boss me around no end already – I guess it comes naturally to you. And even though you may dislike the idea, if it is your duty, you should do it. Sometimes you have to be unselfish if it's for the good of others."

Zelda's eyebrows, already raised rather high by the beginning of this speech, began to ache. She wondered if they had touched her hairline yet. It sure felt that way. "I can be selfish." She retorted. "And since when have you been a paragon of virtue? I am yet to see you do a single unselfish act…all right, so maybe you've been pretty much selfless when it comes to me, but you know it yourself - you're the most selfish, idiotic man I've ever met. And this isn't just putting myself out a little - this is huge! I can't be Queen."

"Why not? You could learn." Said Link.

"Because I don't want to."

"But you might have to, Brat!" He laughed.

"It is incredible, the lunatic actually made sense." Muttered Impa loudly. "Praise be to the gods!"

"Hey, now that's unkind." Retorted the "lunatic", desperately hurt.

Zelda gazed at them all for a long moment and thought about what was being offered to her. To be Queen of Hyrule – to be rich, courted, adored and powerful, she could not deny it was a tempting offer. She imagined what her life would be like: she would wear beautiful gowns, she would never have to toil again, she would lack nothing, she would dine on the finest foods and drink the best wines and she would be adored and worshipped wherever she went. She could have anything she wanted. Everything bar one thing: her freedom. She had no doubt that Link was right, the Judges would have some reason for wanting to install her as Queen, and it probably because she would let them manipulate her. Her life would be mapped out. Everything she did, from dressing to eating would be chosen for her.

That would also include whom she was allowed to befriend and glancing at the one thing in the room that would be forever denied to her from that point on, if she accepted, her mind was made up.

"I cannot do it. I am sorry." She said softly. "There are some things I cannot give up. You can offer me all the riches in the world but it would not buy my happiness, and I know if I accept your proposition, you will take away the one thing in the world that keeps me in a happy state of nervous dread over what he will say or do next, but I couldn't live without."

"Princess?" Link's voice was unusually quiet. "What are you…?"

"I hope you are not saying what I think you are…" Began Impa.

"You wouldn't let me marry the man I love, would you?" replied Zelda before Impa could finish.

"LOVE? You don't love him, do you? That is preposterous. A girl like you – beautiful, educated, refined and him – an idiot oaf with nothing to his name but a nice smile…"

"…It is a very nice smile…" interrupted Link mischievously.

"Silence, Fool." snapped Impa. She turned her glower back to Zelda and almost screamed, "I raised you better than this. I cannot believe you would turn down an entire Kingdom for this idiot. He will leave you unhappy, penniless and alone and you will die a pitiful widow all because you think you can change him. You would give up the world for this buffoon. He is a joke and he means nothing but bad for you, my girl, and…"

"WHOA." Bellowed Link suddenly, he turned to Impa, his eye flashing with such anger that even she felt a little daunted. "I don't mind you insulting me, you can say what you like, it's probably all true, but I WILL NOT let you make out that I am some kind of swine that would deliberately make Zelda unhappy." Since he had taken the precaution of sliding closer to Zelda with every word Impa had said, he took the opportunity to take his arm from its sling and wrap it around her, safe in the knowledge that it was unlikely she would push him away, and with his other hand, tilted her chin so that she faced him. "I do think you are making a mistake, turning down all that money just because you like me, but I'm not going to complain!"

"I don't just like you, Link." She corrected him, gently, gazing right into his eyes. "I love you. I think I always must have done, for I am never myself if I let you out of my sight."

"Either that or you are just scared stiff that I'll get up to no good if you take your eyes off me and you're terrified of the potential consequences. However, if you chose to interpret that as being in love with me, I won't contradict you. It's kind of how I feel anyway. You always get into trouble if I'm not around, and I worry about you. And I promise I will do everything I possibly can to make you happy, my Princess. Although I doubt I could top turning down a kingdom! I will have to think of something more outlandish than that."

She smiled at him. For a long moment they just grinned at each other rather stupidly and then he lowered his head, and kissed her. And suddenly the world and all the irritating judges that inhabited it, vanished. And because Zelda actually responded favourably he decided it was the best experience EVER, even though it did unleash a whole swarm of butterflies in his stomach, and even though Zelda was a little enthusiastic and zapped him a little bit. Or at least that's the explanation he came up with when his knees tried to give way and he had to cling on to her so tightly that they almost fell over.

"Oh, very well, you can marry him and be king and queen together." Coughed Rauru after a pause, where all three judges turned away in acute embarrassment as the hero and his princess shared a passionate embrace. This remark brought them to their senses.

"WHAT?" Thundered Impa.

"Pardon?" Exclaimed Zelda.

"Oh, no you don't!" Laughed Link "After all of my lecturing Zelda on the merits of being unselfish I couldn't possibly accept your offer. I'd be doing it for all the wrong reasons, believe me. So I'll be unselfish too and refuse."

"I'm so glad you said that," said Zelda, as she rested her head back against his uninjured shoulder. "For a moment there, I thought the lure of so many rupees at your disposal would tempt you into doing something stupid. I mean – imagine you as King Link of Hyrule!"

Link pulled a face and for a second allowed his mind to imagine all the mayhem he could cause as a monarch. The thought made a twisted, if not slightly evil grin appear on his face. It was still there when he looked back down at Zelda but he said, quite seriously, "I couldn't possibly accept. I mean, if I refuse, that makes us even, doesn't it? We've both turned down a kingdom for the sake of the other. If I didn't say 'no' then I'd be stuck forever in your debt. And that would be intolerable."

"Wow, a new word." Exclaimed Zelda. "Where d'ya learn that, Linkipoo?"

"Hey, less of it, Princess."

"Don't call me that, you know I hate it."

"Could be worse, it could be Queenie." He retorted unrepentantly.

Rauru sighed in desperation and glanced at Impa for help. She was livid at the sight of her precious charge - her one hope of total world domination – willingly accepting kisses off that moron (and even returning them), giggling at his jokes and sighed. She rolled her eyes at Rauru, the two enjoying a rare moment of empathy with each other.

"If you give up this opportunity, the world will never know of your deeds." She said as a last ditch attempt to get them to reconsider. Appealing to Link's vanity might work, she thought. She caught his attention at least, but did not trust the asinine grin attached to his face. "Um, if you retire to a simple life of-of farming, no-one will remember your name. You won't be a hero anymore – and isn't that what you wanted – to be a hero?"

"No, I wanted a peaceful life which I intended to buy with the money I'd earn from you, and maybe a degree of notoriety thrown into the bargain, but then I found something I wanted more than all of that put together, and as she wants me too, I am perfectly content." Replied Link, "I'm sorry, Judge Impa. I seem to thwart your every plan, don't I?" He smiled at Zelda and added, with an all too familiar glint in his innocent blue eyes, "There may yet be a hope for you yet – why don't you and Rauru get together. If you spawn a brat, I mean, make a baby – um – you could control that to your heart's desire, make it King or Queen. We wouldn't say a word in protest."

The sound of Zelda's choking at this only made his evil grin widen, and to his delighted amusement, he saw the thought actually take root (in Impa's mind at least). He saw her taking a long, secret look at Rauru and felt sorry for the hapless man. Neither judge was past his or her prime, so it wasn't an entirely unlikely occurrence. But it was a funny thought.

Unfortunately Impa caught his glance and glared at him. "Ridiculous. The very thought offends." She snapped. But she did look at Rauru again. Perhaps the lure of power would overcome her obvious distaste. As Zelda and Link started laughing again, she sneered at them, "You have made a foolish decision and I swear you will regret this day. You turned down fame and fortune, and for what…?"

"Happiness and contentment." Sighed Zelda, happily "besides, we can always tell the story to our children…"

"Children? Um… I wasn't consulted about this." interrupted Link. "Can I object?"

"Only if you want a life of celibacy, Linkipoo." She replied, making at least three people in the room blush.

"I certainly do not want a life of celibacy, thank you. Children it is – hundreds and thousands of 'em… Whatever. We can always sell them to Impa if money gets tight. She owes me one for that suggestion." Retorted Link. He was not embarrassed. It was debatable whether he knew how to be or not. "I wonder if Rauru will face such a fate?" He wondered loudly. "Will Impa let him…?"

"Enough. You have made your position clear." Said Impa hastily, "Now if you are sure you are going to turn down this incredible opportunity offered to you, then I must bid you farewell."

"And I must too," Said Rauru, "Really, there is so much to resolve. But I thank you so much for all your help, Link…"

"Rauru, that is enough." Snapped Impa.

"No… I mean it, thank you, Link." He continued stoically in the face of severe opposition (that being Impa's intense glare). "I am sorry that you feel you cannot continue your relationship with us and I wish you and…ow…" He held a hand to his ear, which had just been clipped by an irate Sheikah judge. It was left to Kru, who was just slightly out of her reach, to finish the sentence, "We wish you both very happy." He said benevolently; as if he had approved of their relationship from the word go. "And we pray for the goddesses blessings to be poured out upon your glorious heads, and for your brood to be plenty, your years long and your…oooo that hurt…" Kru's hand went to his ear, and he glowered at Impa.

Link grinned at this and said, "A very commendable speech, and I thank you for employing me. I bet you're regretting it now. I will bid you farewell too, and, Rauru, I wish you the best of luck, Brother! I feel for you, I really do. I promise I will take excellent care of Zelda." He smiled at her and hugged her again "And thank you all for the offer of more rupees than I could shake a stick at. But I really don't think your offer was that good, you know."

"It wasn't?" Repeated Impa. "You think being offered the position of King is worthless? I always knew you were a brainless oaf."

Link smiled irritatingly at her, making her hands positively itch with longing to slap him. "The King thing was pretty amazing, especially considering you all hate me. No, dearest Impa – it was the other thing you offered me. The one thing you couldn't deliver. That's what threw me."

"And what was that?" She crossed her arms over her chest in a familiar gesture, but it seemed it was more of a comfort to her than an outward show of irritation.

"Fame – you said we'd be legends."

"And so you would have been." She retorted. "But that opportunity has gone forever and you will regret it for the rest of your pitiful lives."

Link grinned sweetly at her and shook his head. "I don't think so. I mean - who on earth would want to hear a legend about Zelda and a stupid Lizard Pebble anyway?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------THE END-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :)