An Explanation and a Solution
She cannot believe what she has seen. Yet—as the wolf raised his head, staring back at her with those all too familiar eyes—she knows it has to be true.
Softly, she speaks. "Link."
His ears perk up at the sound of his name. Meeting her gaze, he gives a short nod.
Cautiously, she reaches out with her hand until it's resting on Link's shoulder. She stares at him, and he stares back with sad eyes. Though his body is a wolf's, his eyes are still human. Those eyes reflect sorrow and shame, great shame. He makes a high-pitched whine, and she knows if he were human, he would be crying now.
"Oh, Link," she cries before pulling him into a hug.
His soft fur rubs against her face while he nuzzles her. She cries with laughter. Loosening her hold on him, she pulls back before showering his head with kisses. His muzzle, face, eyes, ears, the top of his head, everywhere. With each kiss, her tears become more intense, but her joy grows stronger.
When her kisses are spent, and her tears have run out, she pulls back fully and takes her first proper look at him. A sense of déja vû seizes her. Link's wolf form looks exactly like the wolf she had met all those nights ago, the black one she had fallen asleep on top of. She had convinced herself it had been a dream.
It was all real! Everything! The wolves... The wolf I had slept with was Link... Oh Hylia, I had slept with Link!
Heat floods her body instantly. She pulls away, burying her face in her hands to hide the furious blush present now. However, it is a vain attempt. She couldn't hide her ears.
I fell asleep with Link, repeats in her head. I fell asleep with Link. He's a wolf. The wolf is Link. I slept with him! Taking a peak through her fingers, she sees Link looking at her with his head tilted to the side, and behind him his discarded tunic and trousers. He's naked! And she feels her blush increase tenfold. He's naked! Link is naked! He was naked! I slept with a naked man! I was hugging a naked man! Oh goddesses...
A noise reaches her ears. It almost sounds like a huffing. Shyly looking up, she sees Link sitting before her with his tongue hanging out and his eyes closed shut. She even sees his tail wagging side-to-side. The huffing sound is coming from him. Is... Is he laughing at me?
She swats Link's snout which makes him look at her with what she assumed is a surprised wolf face. "Don't go acting all surprised. I just realised I slept with a naked man. And," her blush returns now. "I hugged a naked man just now." She points an accusing finger at him. "Let's reverse the roles! How would you feel if you realised you had unwittingly slept next to a naked woman, and had hugged said naked woman? Oh who am I kidding, you would enjoy that, wouldn't you?"
The wolfish grin on Link's face deepens. She swats him across the muzzle again.
"Pervert," she mumbles.
A glance at the sky shows how much time has gone by. They need to go home now before the others become too worried.
Great. How am I going to explain that Link turned into a wolf? I suppose we'll figure that out when it happens.
She gathers Links clothes, folding them neatly and carrying them in her arms. She beckons for Link to follow her and they walk together in the direction of the house.
"Finally we're back!" Zelda whoops while she slides of Link's back. "Thank you for carrying me my noble wolf," she says playfully while patting Link between his ears.
Link growls at her in a grumpy tone. He nudges her belly with his nose. Zelda raises her brow. "What are you getting at?" she inquires.
She watches while Link sits on his haunches and begins animatedly pawing at the air. Although it takes some time, she gets the gist of what he's trying to say. The result makes her gawk as if she had just seen Link swear in front of his grandmother.
"I'M NOT FAT!" she yells. Immediately, she claps a hand over her mouth. There's no way everyone in the house didn't hear her right now.
Link is rolling in the snow barking his wolf laugh. Any other moment the sight would have been cute to Zelda, but right now it annoys her. With a pout, she kicks a bunch of snow into his face making him jump. She watches as he struggles to wipe the snow off with his paws, and soon she's the one laughing.
He gives her a pointed look, but she ignores it. When her laughing subsides, she smirks at him.
"That's what you get for calling me fat." She spins on her heel and makes to open the door. But while her hand rests on the doorknob, she glances over her shoulder back at Link and retorts, "By the way, I'm not fat. I'm curvy. And you can carry your own boots in. You're a big, strong wolf after all." She unceremoniously drops Link's boots into the snow before opening the door, leaving it wide open for a once again grumpy wolf.
Time to face the music, Zelda tells herself while hanging up her cloak. She heads straight for the main room. The clicking of Link's nails on the floor signals he's following her. When she enters the main room, she sees all the worried expressions on everyone's faces. Arlette is the first to notice her. She rises from where she had been sitting by the doorway and pulls Zelda into a bone-crushing embrace. Before Zelda can react, Arlette pulls back, cupping the younger woman's face while her eyes search her features. Arlette rubs her thumb across Zelda's cheek, right where Merari had struck her. She winces as Arlette rubs against a bruise that had formed there. She offers her mother figure a reassuring smile. Arlette smiles back, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
A low bark snaps the two women out of their intimate exchange. It's then everyone takes notice of the Lynal in the room. Or rather, the wolf in the room. Zelda watches as Arlette kneels before her son. She struggles to find the words needed to explain why she, Zelda, had brought a wolf into the house.
"She knows now," Arlette says to Link. It wasn't a question.
Zelda watches blinking rapidly. This isn't what she expected to happen at all.
She scans the faces of everyone in the room. It becomes clear no one is at all surprised by the sight of Arlette speaking to a wolf. Rather, they all have a knowing look, and it becomes clear that Link's big surprise was only a surprise to her.
Still in shock, Zelda feels a wave of emotions roll over her—more surprise mixed with anger. Anger that they had kept something like this from her. Anger and betrayal, and hurt. For now she wondered if perhaps this loving family didn't see her as part of their family after all. For if they did, then why did they keep this from her?
"I'm going to my room," Zelda says. She flees, avoiding all eye contact. When she reaches her room, she slides in under her covers—not bothering to remove her day clothes—and falls asleep.
It is morning when her eyes flutter open. The sun shines bright through the divide in her shutters. While rubbing the sleep from her eyes she hears a gentle knocking on her door. She half mumbles, half groans her consent, and in walks Link, whom she sees has reverted back to his human form.
She meets his gaze, and he holds hers. For a while, nothing happens. They stare at each other in silence. Link is the first to break eye contact. She hears him sigh heavily. Slowly he closes the distance between them and extends his hand.
"Come," he says softly. When she doesn't move, he adds, "We owe you an explanation."
She takes his hand, slowly leaving the comfort of her bed.
The tension is plausible between the two. It makes no sense to Zelda. Yesterday Link had been anything but tense about her learning his secret. In fact, he hadn't minded at all. So why is there this tension between them now? Then Zelda thinks back to how she had reacted to learning she had been the only one outside knowing this secret. At the time, she had been hurt, but having slept on it she realises she has no right to be upset. After all, hadn't she kept her own secrets from them? To make matters more complicated, keeping her true identity from them gives them no reason to trust her with such an important secret as this.
"Link," she whispers.
Link halts where they are in the kitchen, looking back at Zelda with cold eyes.
Zelda shivers but doesn't back away. Steeling herself, she continues. "I... I have to apologise, Link, for my behaviour yesterday. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I'm sorry, Link." She watches as Link's eyes soften until her friend is looking back at her. Unexpectant, he pulls her into a bear-hug. This time it doesn't end early. She embraces him back.
"You have nothing to apologise for, Zelda," he whispers.
A single tear slips through her closed eyes, and she smiles.
Then she remembers something else that happened the other day. Her face warms up, and it's not from the hug. She breaks the hug and awkwardly looks off to the side. There's an obvious smile on her face to accompany the blush.
"Link," she says slowly fidgeting with her hands clasped in front of her. "Th-there's something else we need to talk about that happened yesterday." Taking a deep sigh she continues. "Before I had gone to work, we had... We had... Had..." She couldn't form the words needed to say it. Before she could get another try, she is stunned as Link presses his finger to her lips.
"I know," he states. "I know. It can wait."
Zelda nods, unable to find her voice. Link offers her his hand again, and she takes it. Together they walk into the main room where everyone else is waiting.
A sense of unease flows throughout the room. Everyone is watching Zelda. Each pair of eyes is apologetic, and Zelda reflects back onto Link's words. "You have nothing to apologise for, Zelda."
It doesn't sit well with her. She shakes her head and offers a reassuring smile. She then moves over to where Aryll and Linka are sitting by the hearth and pulls them into a hug. They smile. She knows they do. When they pull apart, the three of them wrap each other in the blanket Aryll and Linka had been sharing. Studying the rest of the family, she sees they all look more relaxed now.
"Young Zelda," rumbles a baritone voice.
Zelda is surprised to see old Hob speak. She has rarely heard him speak. It's his wife Helga who's the talkative one. He mostly communicated in grunts, nods, hand gestures, and posture. For him to speak plainly, this is clearly a matter of great importance.
"We all owe you an explanation."
Leaning back in his chair, he lets out a heavy sigh, and he appears several years older, as if a heavy weight is bearing down on him. He looks Zelda squarely in the eye with such intensity she wants to turn invisible.
"Young Zelda, what do you know of House Ordona?"
Not what she had been expecting, but it already answered part of the mystery. Her eyes close for a moment as she recalls everything she ever learned about House Ordona during her many hours of studying in the past.
"I know," she begins, opening her eyes slowly. "I know the house was founded by The Hero of Twilight several hundred years ago before Hyrule's colonial days.
"As thanks for saving the kingdom from the Twili invasion, the queen of that era had gifted the hero with the noble title of Count and gave him dominion over the entire province of Ordon. Ordona in time became known as 'the bread basket of Hyrule' and even to this day is known for its prosperous farming communities. House Ordona ruled over the province for centuries until a generation ago when the last member of the house married into the royal family and the province became crown land."
She casts her gaze about the room, glancing from one family member to the other. There's a perceptive look in her bright eyes. When they return to Hob, she says "You're a branch of House Ordona."
Old Hob nods weightily. "A junior branch."
Zelda watches as he draws his hand down his face. Telling this story is taking a lot of effort out of the old man. A pang of guilt springs up in her, and she rushes to his side, clasping his hand in hers. She offers a sympathetic smile, and the corners of his eyes crinkle as he gives a smile of his own through his bushy beard.
While kneeling at Hob's side, she sees Helga reach across from her own chair and grasp her husband's rugged hand with her much smaller one. They exchange a look, and the husband's eyes reflect his thankfulness to his wife.
"Come here child." Helga beckons to Zelda.
Zelda moves to the old matriarch's side. Helga smiles down at Zelda.
"I told you already about how our family is descended from the knights of Hyrule. As you've learned today, we are a branch of House Ordona, and like all members of that house, we bear the secret. A secret that has been passed down since The Hero of Twilight."
All the pieces to the puzzle finally fall into place for Zelda. "The wolves."
"That's right my dear," Helga praises Zelda, smiling affectionately at the princess. "Each and everyone born from House Ordona has a wolf sleeping inside them. Most go through their lives without even awakening the wolf, but once you awaken the wolf, you become the wolf." She giggles playfully at the end.
The ease with which Helga explains the secret surprises Zelda. Unlike Hob who had been weighted down by the subject, Helga is rather upbeat about it all. It actually makes Zelda feel a little uneasy. Wasn't this supposed to be a serious matter? What's the catch?
"What do you mean by, 'you become the wolf?'" she asks even as a cold sweat forms on her brow.
Helga beams. "Well as you saw with Link earlier, you literally become the wolf. Most of the time, one has complete control, but sometimes one's mood can make them unwillingly turn into their wolf."
Like the incident in the woods yesterday, reflects Zelda. Link had been very angry at Merari... so his anger forced him to turn into his wolf. She thinks back to all the times Link had been either very angry or in a stormy mood. She shudders to think how many times he could or might have turned into a wolf, and she had been completely unaware of his distress.
Helga continues. "They also have all the wolves' senses and instincts." Gesturing at her family, she adds, "These lots can be real animals at times. Especially during this time of year."
"This time of year?" Zelda repeats questioningly.
Helga grins. "It's the wolf mating season."
"W-WH-WHA-WHAT?"
The heat rises, not just to Zelda's face, but throughout her entire body. Her gaze swivels around the room revealing that everyone else is just as embarrassed as she is by Helga's crassness, if not more so. Linka has her face buried in a pillow, and Aryll is copying her sister. Zelda silently prays Aryll is still too young to experience "mating season." Hob is sweating nervously and gives his wife a look. Said wife just giggles and shrugs nonchalantly. Arlette and Lysander are as red as ripe strawberries and apparently are finding much interest in the ceiling and floor. As for Link, when Zelda's eyes meet his, he offers her an apologetic smile and gives a small, shy wave.
Link's reaction makes her reflect on his behaviour these past previous days and wonders how much of it is a result of "mating season." She thinks back to times they had been together and Link's behaviour had been... off. Such as when they had been training a few days ago and Link had left in tears. And the day he had been in her room after she had tried on her wedding dress, when she had started to question her decision to marry Merari. That day Link had hugged her and then said he wasn't feeling well.
Both times she had worried about Link. Both times Link had been in close proximity with her. Both times were possibly during this "wolf mating season." What does it mean? she thinks.
No sooner does she think that does realisation light up like a candle in the dark. Although this may be the middle of the winter, she finds the room to be steadily growing hotter. Then again, maybe it was just her.
"Is there anything else I need to know?" she hastily asks Helga while avoiding eye contact, fearing she is too transparent in the current moment.
Helga chuckles at her distress. "No," she says simply. "However," she adds in a graver tone. Zelda looks back at the old woman and feels her heart drop. The jolly smile is gone, replaced with a severe one. "We are not done talking here."
She gives a silent signal, and Zelda is pulled to her feet by Arlette who leads her over to the sofa. Arlette doesn't waste a moment. As soon as they've sat down, she looks Zelda in the eye and Zelda sees the saddest, most forlorn look she has ever seen in her life.
"We know about Merari."
The stifling hot room turns frigid cold. Zelda turns to Link, who avoids her eyes. She can't help feeling a sense of betrayal. She had trusted Link to not tell anyone, but he had told. Now numerous emotions are welling up inside her. Guilt, pain, sorrow, worry, shame, and strangely enough... relief.
Before she can ponder these feelings, Arlette pulls her into a tight hug, and she's shocked to hear her sobbing.
"Oh Zelda dear... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Tears of her own join Arlette's as she tightens the embrace. She feels foolish for not telling sooner. This warmth, this love and support is what her soul needs to feel lighter.
"We'll get through this somehow, my dear. I promise."
"Mother..."
The loud bang of the door slamming interrupts the moment. Cold blasts into the room, and they hear the howl of the wind before the dull boom of the door slamming shut cuts it off. Heavy, hasty steps can be heard and seconds later uncle San can be seen stumbling into the main room, wet clothes and all.
"Were you successful, brother?" asks Lysander, his voice layered with hope.
"Aye. The Father was very cooperative," he says as he sits down by the fire, warming his hands over the flames. "He explained everything in great detail, and I can say after listening to a bunch of legal talk that we have a solution."
"There's a way to save Zelda?" Now everyone is looking intently at San. There's a charge in the air, and for the first time since Yule Zelda's soul is light.
"I suppose," San mutters. "If you're willing to call a loophole a solution."
The energy that had been in the room dies down, and the weight returns to Zelda's spirit. Of course there's a catch. There's always a catch.
"A loophole is better than nothing," Arlette says softly. She squeezes Zelda's hand gently. Zelda's hesitant to get her hopes too high, but she does smile slightly.
"We cannot take Merari to court," San continues. "Not without real evidence," and Zelda can hear the disdain in his voice. "But there is a way we can prevent Zelda from marrying that swine. It's actually rather simple. A rabbit could have made it up."
"Get to the point already!" Hob growls.
San sighs annoyed. "I'm getting there, Pops," he mumbles. "The Father said that if Zelda were to marry someone else before she is to wed Merari, then it will be illegal for the two of them to get married because she will already be married. Like I said, simple."
Too simple, Zelda thought. The whole moment had been anti-climatic. She had been expecting something more... elaborate. So, to avoid one marriage, I still need to get married.
"This sounds too easy," voices Link. "And unnecessary. Why can't Zelda just break off the engagement. She gave back the ring!"
"It's more complex than that," San replies with a shake of his head. "The way the Father explained it, since Merari and Zelda exchanged the promise of marriage, and since there had been mutual consent, as far as the law is concerned, they may as well be married, formalities damned!"
"Which means this is no longer a matter of engagement but a matter of divorce!" Lysander growls. "And unless Zelda can prove Merari's infidelity, she'll be denied a certificate of divorce."
"Which is where the loophole comes in," continues San. "Merari and Zelda may have exchanged the promise of Marriage, but they haven't consummated their marriage. So, all Zelda must do is get married and bedded before the day of her wedding ceremony, and it will render her marriage with Merari null."
"Wel-l-l-l, that's great and all," Linka exclaims. Zelda's taken aback as her foster sister crosses her arms and heatedly glares at all the adults in the room. "But just who is Zelda supposed to marry now?"
"She'll marry Big Brother!"
The room is silent. Zelda peers down where Aryll sits on the floor. Everyone is looking at the younger girl, surprise visible on all their faces.
Aryll jumps up and hugs Zelda, meeting her with a hopeful smile that spreads from ear to ear. "You'll marry Big Brother, right Big Sister?"
Finally done, and it's a cliff-hanger! Sorry not sorry. If you want to find out what happens next, you have to wait for the next chapter. Whenever that will come out.