The door creaked shut when he walked into the large circular room full of chandeliers and balconies, it looked almost the same from when he had first came, except for the fact that it had stairs to and from the main balcony so you walk to the throne room and not have to be Link to actually get from one level of the building to another.

He sauntered up the steps, through the door, and into the hallway that led outdoors. He ran into the middle door, and tested his footing on the blocks, and they didn't fall. Zelda had been right. The castle was more beautiful than before for such a short period of time. There were new paintings replacing those Link had shot down, and the courtyard had been trimmed and the suits of armor had been replaced with statues of mighty heroes and such and he thought the one outside of the throne room looked a lot like him.

Wait, the throne room? He had so absorbed himself in his thoughts he hadn't realized that he had arrived at the room so rapidly. As he reached for the handle he stopped himself as he heard to rather loud voices coming from inside.

The first was an elderly man, Link could tell by the hoarseness of his voice as he yelled as calmly as yelling could get, "You MUST hire a bodyguard, the kingdom will not be at peace unless their princess is safe. We cannot have another episode like before!"

The second voice was that of a certain enraged princess, a side of Zelda the boy had never seen nor heard before, "I will hire a bodyguard when I damn well choose I need one and not a moment later!" The harshness in her voice made the hero outside recoil. But he also felt a twinge of pain, for if she had a bodyguard, he would never be alone with just her again. It would always be her, him, and the lazy old drunk the hire to protect her.

As the two kept arguing in the room, Link was having an internal conflict within himself. 'You might as well turn around now, Link.' He thought, how somewhere deep inside a defiant 'No.' came. This continued for quite some time.

Inside the room the argument still continued as well. "You want me to hire a bodyguard?" Zelda asked, about to explode, "Fine, the next man to step foot into this room is gonna be my goddess-damned bodyguard!"

Link hadn't meant to fall into the room, he actually was just leaning against the door and he fell onto the handle and his weight sent him flying into the chamber, feet touching first. He stood up and came face first with a short man, with a short gray beard and almost no hair. The man adjusted his spectacles and gave Link a good look over and smirked. "Congratulations Princess. He is the perfect boy for the job!" and the still smirking man hobbled towards the stunned Zelda and handed her a stack of papers. "Here's the lad's contract." And with that the old man pushed aside Link to exit, stopping to address him, "You start tomorrow."

Link stood there dumbfounded, the only thing wandering through his head was the question of what had just happened. He looked at the floor to hide his smile. 'If I'm Zelda's bodyguard, I'd get to see her every day!' he thought as if he were a young boy whose babysitter was a very attractive girl, princess to be exact. Of course it would be the other way around with this.

While Link was having a party in his head, Zelda's hands were trembling as she stared at the packet she was holding. The very first page stated all that was actually needed, basically. It stated that the one who signed the paper would protect her with his life, or die trying. Her whole shivered as she thought of Link dying because of her. No, she wouldn't allow that. Silence between the two had ensued, only to be broken by the sound of Zelda coming towards him.

She stopped less than a foot away from him, and he looked up into her eyes. He loved her eyes, he could always find comfort in them, but now they looked hurt, and happy, they seemed confused. Link slowly smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her smaller figure. Zelda immediately felt her face flush, and Link too, as soon as he realized what he was doing. His arms flung themselves behind himself and he peered off to the side, his face a light shade of pink.

"Link." Her voice melted him inside when she spoke. He'd never heard her speak like that, her voice full of kindness, "I've missed you." Link's eyes wandered over to where she was standing. Silence settled once again. "Are, are those for me?" he asked happily reaching for the stack in her hands. Her grip tightened, "No, there for someone else." He stopped and gave her a quizzical look. "But the old man said that it was MY contract." He clutched the paper as well, his fingertips lightly brushing against hers. She shuddered as she spoke, "No, Link, I, if you died protecting me I, you've done enough for me already-" she was cut off by Link's finger gently placed on her lips.

He snatched the paper and read the first page, "This contract doesn't sound outrageous in the least."

"It may not, but I do not want you to just be whisked into a position because I lost my temper."

"I would've accepted if you had even asked me!"

"Why would you? It's pointless! I have plenty of able recruits!"

"Because I'd get to spend more time with you!"

"And you could do that without risking your life! What if Ganondorf comes back?"

"That old codger isn't coming back! Even if he did I would be there protecting you!"

"Why? Why risk your life on a pampered palace brat!" by now their faces were only millimeters away from each other's.

"Why Zelda? Because I l-" Link stopped himself from saying what he had been wanting to tell her ever since they met. It was then that the two teens realized their close proximity and turned an extremely dark shade of red. "Because I care for you." Was all he could mutter. "May I please be your bodyguard?"

Zelda bit her lip and looked at him and saw the hurt in his eyes from their little fight. "Link, I just don't want you to get hurt." He grabbed her hand and asked quietly, "If I promise to keep us both safe, can I?"

On the inside Zelda knew she wanted him to take the job. She would be with him every day; she'd probably even stay in the same room with him! Her face flushed again at the thought. Link's voice assured her once again, "You can't win this Zelda."

"Fine." Link's ears perked up and a smile crossed his face. "Fine what?" Zelda smiled a defeated type of smile, "Fine you can have the job, and you are the only one for the job."

Link grinned and began to say something about wher he'd be staying, but the princess cut him off, "We'll discuss that at dinner, in the meantime, I must go to my quarters and change. I'll see you in the dining hall." She raised an eyebrow, "I presume you remember where that is?" He nodded. "Good." Link felt himself being pulled into a tight embrace. "I really did miss you Link." Zelda whispered and kissed his cheek before rushing out of the room, leaving a dazed hero behind her, hand on his tingling cheek.


So, what did you think? Reviews are REALLY appreciated, and cookies too!