The Calm Before

Zelda awoke with such a violent jerk she nearly knocked herself out of bed. Her eyes wrenched open in terror as she clambered back to the safety of her tangled sheets. Peering through the slits of the curtains Zelda could see the soft orange glow of the rising sun. She had not slept long, she realized as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, yet it felt as if she had been sleept for days.

Zelda wiggled her toes and stretched her aching muscles, slowly remembering the previous nights dream. It had been dark, and her memory was a little fuzzy, but for some reason the dream made the pit in her stomach feel hard as stone. She had been falling in her dream, down a long and twisting hallway. She recognized the place, it was the same hallways she had been walking down since she was a little girl. Yet in the dream they were different. Brooding, long hallways that laughed with every advancing step. She had been running in terror. Breathless and full of freight, she ran til her legs felt like jelly and her pounding chest ached. Down the spiralling twists of stairways and through the clouded entryways. The darkness was nipping at her heels. She fell, down the crippled steps and plumented into darkness. The cold fingers of shadows ripping at her ankles..."Imposter!" She wailed and wailed. "IMPOSTER!"

*Knock Knock Knock*

Zelda gasped as her finger clenched tightly around her blankets. The door creaked open and a tangled mop of mousey brown hair emerged through the doorway.

"Your grace?" The serving girl asked timidly. "Is everything quite all right?"

Zelda's heart stopped pounding as the nightmare began to fade and her daymares came flooding back to her. A hard stone was developing in her stomach as reality began to sink back in...her dream, almost forgotten. She was still in her castle, she was still a princess, and today she was to be bethrothed to a stranger.

"Yes." Her lies flowed easily. "Everything is quite all right." Zelda pulled back her covers and untangled herself from the comforters.

"The guards heard noises last night m'lady. You sure you're feeling alright?" The mousey serving girl instantly began tending the sheets. She pulled the covers taut and smoothed the creases as Zelda's face flushed red.

"They came to check on you..." The girl began. Zelda's eyes jutted towards the open window. Her heart beating hard in her chest as she thought about what they might do to the girl who had helped her steal the two escape. Goddessess have mercy on her...

"I- I was uh..." Zelda stammered.

"No need to apologize for night terrors. I'm sure it's just from the nerves. You must be excited about today." The girl tittered as she smiled softly to herself. She floated about the room so carefree, tidying this, organizing that. So simple and ordinary, Zelda wished she could be in her place.

"Nerves, excusable, yes..." Zelda stated blankly as she ran soft fingers through unwashed, stringy hair. If only you knew the half of it. She fumed bitterly to herself as the serving girl continued on with her mundane chores. If you only knew...

"You are looking a bit pale this morning. Would you care for some breakfast? I know its nearing lunch but I'm sure the cooks can find you something to nibble on." The girl stopped folding the sheets to look at Zelda. The princess was sitting as frozen as an ice sculpture. "Y'grace?" She muttered.

Zelda felt as if she was being electrocuted. Her brain fried and unable to sort through her mess of thoughts. Link...why aren't you here to stop this...

"Princess..." The serving girl waved a hand in front of Zelda's unmoving gaze. Zelda snapped her head away from the open window and flashed a practiced smile.

"Breakfast sounds wonderful." She spoke politely. Her eyes drifting aimlessly about the room. I could still escape, when the girl leaves.

"Wonderful!" The girl gushed. "I'll go grab you a platter and escourt you to Madame Freisch. Your father has a little surprise for you."

"My father?" Zelda groaned. And of course I'm to be escorted. The king was not yet strong enough to leave the castle, but the old king spirits had been raised ever since the Dranavirs had accepted his royal innvitation. King Daphnes III could be found roaming about the castle, drinking summerwine and eating fried pork in his leisure time. The sling that concelled his blackened arm was still as ominous as ever, but old King Daphnes didn't seem to take notice or listen when Renaldo would advise him back to bed.

"Strong like an ox." He would boast. "I never learned how to swordfight with my left arm, don't you think it's about time?" Then he would laugh a great booming guffaw that could be overheard in even the most crowded of rooms. Then he would drink his summerwine, two, three goblets at a time. Then at night when he whimpered in his sleep from pain, Renaldo would slip milk of the poppy into his drink and the great king would loll back into his slumber.

He is not doing well...Zelda shuddered, but followed the serving girl to Madame Freisch without so much as a girl bustled and babbled on as they walked the crowded hallways of Hyrule Castle. People of all sorts of ranks walked about, a rainbow of robes clambered by with streams of colorful banners, servants pushed carts teaming fresh fruits and ripe vegetables as the cooks bellowed orders from behind them. Lace, linen, gilded goblets decorated with garnets, silver trays, racks of uncooked meat. The smell of it all was overwhelming and there was still much much more.

Maids and butlers alike were seen bent over and scrubbing the dirt inbetween the cobblestones. The otherwise gloomy hallways were filled with soft orange light as the windows were pried open. The maids wiped them clean and beat dust out of the rugs as they coughed and sputtered. A small girl was trailing behind each one, leaving scents of lilacs and roses everywhere she went. The whole castle seemed to be alive, and bustling. Zelda walked through the maze only feeling dead and dreadful as she waved and smiled politely to passerbys.

The mousey brown haired girl left Zelda alone when they reached the guest wing near the north tower. "Madame Freisch is waiting for you inside. Make your self aquainted and I'll be back with your brunch." She bowed, giggled, and then tittered away, immediately lost in all the chaos that had consumed Zelda's castle.

Zelda's head was spinning when the opened the door to the seamstress's room. Her hands shook when she went to grab the doorknob and for a brief moment she thought to run. As she turned around she caught a glimpse of one of her father's sellswords. The small glint of his eye could be seen through his armored helm and Zelda knew he was watching her. She smiled curtiously and opened the door to the guest room.

Streams of light surrounded her as she closed the door behind her. The room was handsomely furnished, with wide gaping windows, a plush goose feather bed, and glowing a soft orange as the fire hissed and crackled in the pit. The room could have easily passed for Zelda's own quarters had it not been for the clutter everywhere.

Piles of fabrics covered the bed, suitcases were thrown open and their contents splayed across the room like some tornado hit. Candles had been left burning, the hot wax pooling over and sticking to the mantles. Books littered a small desk, their papers ripped out and lines furiously underlined with black ink. It took Zelda a long minute to realize that there was a person hidden in all this mess.

Madame Freisch was settled in an over plush armchair next to the cackling fire. Large spectacles took up nearly half her face and made her brooding dark eyes seem large and bug-like. She was ornately dressed in layers and layers of fine fabrics woven and dyed to such extremities that the poor girl oddly resembled a peacock. If the woman knew of Zelda's presence, she didn't acknowledge it.

"Ahem" Zelda coughed. Very slowly, the woman with the horned glasses finished reading her page and then calmy put the book down. She scratched her temple broodingly and then turned her eyes to the princess.

"I wasn't expecting you so soon." She said as cool as running water. She stood up slowly giving Zelda a better chance to look at her. She was a frail looking thing, yet had bold almond eyes and a strong pointed jaw. Her hair was a curly and unruly mess. Tamed back with prods and pins to give the woman a more noble appearance. She wore an emerald green dress with tiny purls embedded inbetween the laces, but when Zelda stepped closer she could see stains and tears on the hems.

"I didn't mean to disturb." Zelda flushed, eyeing the thick weathered book in the bony seamstresses hands. It was a peculiar looking thing, dark black with yellowed old pages. Madame Freisch caught Zelda staring and then with one quick flick of the wrist, she threw the leather bound book into the burning flames. Zelda tried to cover her shocked expression as she watched the pages of the book burn blacker still and turn to ash.

"Sorry if I've disturbed you." She repeated, not taking her eyes off the hissing flames. "My father says you have a gift to show me?" Zelda wished desperately that she could find a place to sit. All the stools and chairs were covered with sewing needles, rolls of fabric, and piles of washed and unwashed clothes mixed alike.

Madame Freisch laughed heartily. "Oh my queen," she bowed, ignoring Zelda's awkardness "I am your gift. Do you think your father is going to let you meet Prince Dranavir in your Hylian garb?" Madame laughed again as she picked up folds of red, gold and onyx cloth. "You don't expect your new prince to arrive in the bold lilac and gold colors of house Harnikan do you?"

Zelda went numb and bitter at the sound of the foreign prince's name. She forced a nervous laugh and said, "What a queer sight that would be..." Madame Freisch nodded obliviously as she began measuring the cloth and folding it over itself, one, two, three times. A spell of silence went over them as Zelda mosied about the room glancing at different garments and ballgowns Madame Freisch had sewed herself. They were beautiful, with much detail, and the colors, so vibrant and fun. Each one carefully hand stitched and personalized. She wondered what happy occassions these had been worn for. Zelda would have liked a nice pastel pink gown or even a sky blue frock to wear to the party, but Madame Freisch was cutting the black cloth now. Black...the color of death.

Zelda peered into the fire where the book was now smoldering. When she squinted she could still see the faint outline of the book cover. House of...house of what? she wondered. Either the flames were playing tricks with her or her lack of sleep, but Zelda could have sworn she saw the head of a dragon leaping through the flames, trying to catch the fiery kiss that rose from the coals.

"What was that you were reading?" Zelda pried as Madame lifted her arms to get her measurements. The older woman pretended not to hear her as she bit down on a pin and tighted the cloth around Zelda's midsection. The Madame continued her work as she rotated Zelda this way and that, spinning her around and around until she had calculated every inch of her body.

"It was a horror story. Not for the likes of pretty princesses like you." She said curtly as she began to stick furiously at the hem line.

"I saw it." Zelda continued. "How can it be a horror story? It was a book on the history of houses...but which-"

"I said it is not a story for pretty little birds like yourself." The Madame warned dangerously. "You have a lot more to worry about than the history of some old house that was written near over a hundred years ago."

Zelda huffed in irritation. She was not a child anymore. She was going to be a queen and queens should know of the matters of the realm. "I saw a dragon in the fire. Tell me the true meaning of this book at once!" Zelda stated firmly. Slowly Madame took of her glasses and set them carefully on her lap. Without her bifocals on she looked almost comely and less harsh.

"If you must know..." She sighed.

"Yes- I must." Zelda declared, her voice returning to its usual weak state. Madame eyed her suspiciously and glanced to see if the door was shut.

"It's a book on the history of the noble house of Dranavir. I was hoping to get a sneak peek before tonight but I'm afraid the poor book had nothing of what I wanted." Madame paused, noticing that the answer was not good enough for the princess. "You need not worry of what I read. " she growled firmly as she returned to her sewing needle. "Stand up again." She instructed Zelda as she tightened her corset. Zelda gasped inbetween pulls of the strings and tried to ignore the crushing feeling she got in her ribs. But more importantly she tried to resist the bile that was building in her stomach. The book in the flames made her feel uneasy.

"What of the dragon?" She gasped as Madame pulled the strings tightly under her bossom, making her breasts firm and perky.

"What of the dragons?" Madame hummed. "They are all dead. They've been dead for thousands of years." The seamstress was holding something back, Zelda could tell by her brisk answers.

"What do the Dranavirs have to do with dragons? Doesn't it seem quite pecu- ouch that hurts!" Zelda cried out as the needle jabbed her right between the shoulder blades.

"It's their house sigil. As your royal sigil is the triforce of wisdom, courage, and strength. Now stop fidgetting. If I leave you bloody and marked for your meeting with the prince your father will lop my head off." The seamstress was trying hard to mask the anger that was rising from her voice. Despite her sea of questions, Zelda kept her mouth shut.

It had taken more than a few hours to get fitted and curl her hair and make-up. When Zelda eyed herself in the mirror she only saw a lost little child instead of the beautiful decorated woman in front of her. Madame Freisch had truely outdone herself. Zelda was clothed in a fine satin gown, the color a deep onyx embroidered with shining red lace that reminded her of blood. Lines of crimson trimmed around the plunging neck line, her bodice infused with fine Zoran silks that gleamed almost wetly in the right lighting. Her sash was encrusted with fiery red rubies that drank up the sun and glowed like fiery coals, around the garnets and rubies the golden triforce was sewn intricately in the middle of the sash, pulled tightly to accentuate her bulging breasts. Zelda eyed them warily as they threatned to burst out of her corset. A Queen should look modest... Zelda fumed to herself silently as she stared back at the decorated stranger. I look naught like myself...

Behind her, Madame Freisch was beaming sheepishly at her work of art. Zelda watched in the relfection as the seamstress put on the final touch. A magnificent hairpiece, a shining ruby rose with golden pedals. The jewlery must have weighed nearly two stones. Zelda winced as her head was prodded and her hair pinned into submission, the weight of the hairpiece pulled her hair taut and gave her a headache. Madame took a step back as she finished unrolling the hot curls from Zelda's golden hair and smiled softly to herself.

"A beautiful queen you will be. The colors of house Harnikan and Dranavir go quite magnificently together." Madame preened.

The colors of greed. Zelda couldn't help but think. Blood, gold, and darkness. A bad sign indeed. "The dress is quite beautiful." This was the truth. "How will I ever repay you for your kindness?"

Madame only laughed. "Sweet girl, it is a service I am happy to give. Working with you alone is gift enough."

"I'm afraid I don't understand...Surely you must need something?" Zelda stepped down from her stool, now standing a good half a foot below Madame Freisch. She made a grab for her coin purse but was only batted away politely.

"Dear child. I made your mother's wedding gown and I promised myself I'd do the same for her daughter." She paused as if remembering something. A glimmer of sadness appeared in those large brown pools but it was gone as soon as it came. "I do hope you will allow me once the time comes of course..." She trailed.

Zelda's heart jumped at the sound of her mother's name? "You knew her?" She queried excitedly. Zelda knew very little of her mother, she had died when Zelda was very young. Sometimes Zelda would imagine her face, or hear her voice in her dreams, but then the image would blur and cloud and morning always came. Zelda could not tell if even knew her mother's face anymore.

"Knew her?" Madame chuckled. "We were best friends. Wa before your father even knew she existed. Your mother and I used to do everything. Well...before your father came and took her to court and bedded her. Can't say I wasn't jealous. What girl doesn't grow up wishing to be a princess?" The seamstress spoke dreamily.

I don't wish to be a princess. "It must have been exciting for her." Zelda added, trying to imagine her parents riding off to the castle together on a white stallion. She could imagine her father but could only see the long flowing blonde hair that trailed her mother's back.

"They were quite the pair." Madame continued. "Why, I remember your father-". Before Madame could utter another word there was a loud bang on the door.

"The trumpets are sounding! Our royal guests have arrived!" A shout from beyond the door yelled and then scurried off to alert the others.

"They were madly in love." Madame Freisch patted Zelda reassuringly before standing. "Come, let's go meet your prince."

And I am just to go mad... Zelda bit her lip and then followed the seamstress out the door.