Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! Welp, I was right - Chapter 2 on Wednesday LOL! I'm very pleased by how quickly and easily these chapters are coming to me and I've enjoyed writing this new idea a ton so far! Uploads will probably eventually slow to weekly but I'm gonna ride this wave of inspiration until it settles a bit more again then switch to the schedule I mentioned last time.

I'll say some more at the end so for now, nothing more to add except...buckle in. And thank you so much for coming back and reading. I hope you enjoy the second chapter!

Book I - Meeting

Chapter 2 – Darkness and Kindness

The house that Link called his own was very different than the Castle Zelda had grown up in. She had been surrounded by luxury all her life – lavish decorations, fine upholstery, expensive furniture, high-class meals. But there was something rather inviting about the sinpler space in which she now found herself.

The large living area was sparsely decorated and yet it didn't feel empty. A brown couch sat across from a stone fireplace inset into the east wall and a white rug decorated the hardwood floor beneath it. Plain white curtains, the simplest she'd ever seen, covered the interior windows and along the wall were a few weapon mounts which currently contained his equipment – a curved silver bow that looked as pristine as diamond, a sturdy shield that bore the crest of the Royal Family, and the legendary Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane.

Link had been chosen by that blade at the age of twelve. Even when he was that young, the Goddess had known he was the warrior who would save her Kingdom from Ganon. What kind of warrior must he be as a result? She couldn't even begin to fathom the strength he possessed within his unassuming frame. A pang of guilt overcame her heart for a moment as she remembered herself at age twelve. She had already been abandoned by the Goddess and her own family at that point. She had never lived up to any expectation set to her…

Shaking herself from her daze, Zelda took in the rest of the house. A small staircase led up to a second story loft. From what she could see, there was nothing there aside from a small desk and several sizeable wooden crates. There were more boxes beneath the stairs too, tucked away neatly into the little corner.

The rest of the first floor played host to a modest kitchen area accompanied by a small rectangular table. And even further in were three doors, evenly spaced along the south wall. Though Zelda couldn't be certain, of course, she suspected one room was Link's bedroom, one was the bath, and the third could be anywhere from a closet to a training room.

'I wouldn't be against staying in the loft…it might even be rather cozy…'

"I was planning to make curry rice," Link told her, his gentle voice almost becoming lost in the open space. "I don't make it spicy; is that okay with you?" Zelda felt her eyes widen.

"A-anything is…fine with me, Link-sama." He glanced back at her, raising an eyebrow. Had she said something strange?

"You can just call me by name," he told her simply. She opened her mouth a few times but couldn't find her voice to respond. Finally, she gave up and simply nodded.

'He…doesn't expect me to address him respectfully? Even though I'm so unworthy to speak to him as an equal…?' His voice cut through her thoughts a moment later.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't tell you where you can put your bag," he continued, crossing the kitchen and approaching the south wall with the three doors.

'Where is he going? Surely those rooms are his.'

Link opened the leftmost door and gestured to the space. As Zelda approached, she noticed a simple bed, the mattress furnished with beige bedding, and those same plain white curtains across the window. A wooden wardrobe sat unassumingly in the corner. The room was barren otherwise.

"Um…" Link began, all but grimacing, "sorry it's not nicer. When your sister sent her letter at the beginning of the week, I didn't have much time to prepare for your arrival." Zelda shook her head quickly though.

"N-not at all…um…it's wonderful. You…prepared this for me?"

He met her gaze with a confused look. This was the second time she'd said something to surprise him. She only hoped she wasn't aggravating him already…

"Of course; you're certainly not going to sleep on the floor."

"I'm very sorry. I…hope I didn't cause you any trouble…" she murmured, hanging her head and trying to swallow her guilt.

"I figured you didn't ask to be married off so suddenly either; don't worry about it. Some of the villagers helped me assemble the bed and wardrobe. I didn't do it all myself."

"A…assemble? Then...these things weren't here before? This was your room?" He nodded.

"It was, but I just stored random things in here. I never really needed the space but it was already here when I moved in."

"Um…where, then, did your possessions go?"

"I boxed them up and put them in the loft; I don't use that either."

"I'm terribly sorry my arrival today caused you such difficulty," she managed at last, bowing deeply and squeezing her eyes shut.

He probably hated her for forcing him to move his things. This was his home; she was an outsider here. Why should he be expected to change things just for her? She didn't deserve for such effort to be expended on her account…

"You really don't have to apologize," he assured her again. "It wasn't anything important and I wasn't using the room anyway; it makes more sense for you to have it since you'll be staying here now."

Zelda raised her head timidly. He didn't look angry with her. He didn't look aggravated or upset at all. She had a hard time believing he genuinely didn't mind but…perhaps he was trying to act in good faith. He wasn't aware of just how little she deserved yet, but he was extending a courtesy towards her. She couldn't let that consideration go to waste.

"Thank you…Link…" He eyed her curiously again before nodding and gesturing to the room.

"It really wasn't a big deal. Feel free to make yourself comfortable and unpack; I'll go make dinner."

"Um! Can I…help you somehow? You shouldn't have to…cook for me after I've only just arrived…" His eyebrow raised again.

"I was already going to make it; I'm just adding a little more. But don't fret over it. I prefer to cook by myself anyway."

"O-oh. If…if you insist…"

"Go ahead and get settled in. I'll let you know when food is ready."

With that, the hero turned and headed back to the kitchen. Zelda felt conflicted. On the one hand, she felt terribly guilty that Link was expending extra effort to make dinner for her. All she'd done since being selected as his fiancé was cause him problems. But…she shouldn't impose upon him any further. He preferred to cook alone – it was likely something of a ritual to him. She shouldn't force her company upon him when he had requested she leave his sight and tend to her new room.

'I must honor that request. He likely asked me to retire to my room because he cannot stand the sight of me anyway…I wonder if I should tie my hair back so he doesn't have to see as much of its color…'

Zelda disappeared into her new room, intent on quietly unpacking her things and leaving Link to his devices. She hoped it would be enough to make up for the inconveniences her presence had already caused him.

Zelda stared down into the bath, the water she was currently sitting in rippling around her with every movement. Link had very kindly drawn her a warm bath, after he had finished his own, before disappearing into his bedroom. Now, lost in the embrace of the comforting temperature, she found herself remembering the evening they'd only just spent together.

After unpacking what few possessions she still had, Link had called her for dinner. Without a moment's hesitation, she had asked him where he would prefer she sit to eat. At the Castle she always ate by herself but the few times she found herself in Hilda's presence for dinner, her sister would always tell her to eat far away from her. She had quite literally sat in the corner of the room on the floor before because of her sister's refusal to share a space with her, despite the ample room around her.

Link had simply gazed at her in surprise before responding with, "the table…of course."

Zelda was worried she was making a terrible first impression. He had given her numerous looks of confusion since she'd first crossed his threshold earlier that same night. She must be aggravating him. Slowly but surely, he would start to resent her pathetic, worthless nature. Though she didn't know exactly when his patience would reach its breaking point, it was only a matter of time, she was certain. Nobody could stand being around her very long without coming to resent her…

As if to illustrate her fears, Link had said little to nothing during their meal together. Zelda had been far too scared to presume her new fiancé actually cared about anything she would have to say. So, after murmuring a thank you for the food, she said nothing either, instead enjoying the delicious curry rice as best she could. Despite the fact that Link was a warrior first and foremost, he was also clearly a talented cook. The dinner he had made for them was every bit on par with the cooking of the chefs at the Castle.

After eating in excruciating silence – Zelda worrying that she was doing something to offend him the entire time – Link mentioned something about just leaving the plates and utensils on the counter, claiming he would wash them later. Finally realizing she could do something to aid him, she asked that he allow her to take care of it. Though he wore an equally curious stare as all the other times she'd spoken that evening, he eventually relented and agreed, retiring to bathe while she did so.

'I must be careful in the things I say to Link,' Zelda pondered to herself, lifting a handful of water into her cupped hands before allowing it to spill slowly back into the basin. 'He surely finds me strange. Not that I blame him – without a common upbringing, I don't understand most traditional household customs, I'm sure. But without the appeal of proper Royalty either, I have no doubt he's struggling to know what to think of me.

'The fact that he hasn't yet approached me with hate or anger is a decent sign. But I must remain cautious that I don't upset him. If I keep making needless comments or forcing my opinions on his ears when he would prefer silence, there is a very real possibility that he simply throws me out through the front door and slams it behind me. I could never beg him to take me back if he did…once his mind is made up, it is my responsibility to live with the consequences of what I did to lead to such an action…

Zelda sank deeper into the bath, slumping against the side until her mouth met the water. She blew air between her lips, resulting in a few listless bubbles dancing dejectedly in front of her eyes for a second or two before popping.

'These bubbles might just echo my own time here with Link if I'm not careful – over and vanished without a trace before I even have the chance to perceive it properly. But I cannot give up yet. This is the only thing Father has ever asked me for since I was a child. This is my one chance to do right by he and Hilda. I can serve my Kingdom and my family for the first time since Mother passed away. I will not allow myself to fail, not without doing everything I can first.'

Not wishing to take Link's kindness for granted too long, she quickly finished her bath and, after drying and dressing in her light blue sleeping gown, emerged into the largest room in the house once more. She took in the sights briefly.

The silver moonlight cast a hauntingly beautiful glow across the wooden flooring. The rest of the house was dark except for the telltale dancing of a lantern's flame from the loft above. Following the orange light with her eyes, she noticed Link himself sitting at the same lone desk that had caught her eye earlier.

He looked as if he were deep in thought about something. His eyes were fogged over with concern and confusion as he chewed the end of a featherless quill. Was he writing something? Perhaps he, too, kept a diary. Though Zelda wanted to write in her own, she felt too anxious to do so tonight. She had only just arrived and, after leaving her own ink behind at the Castle in case it spilled on her clothing during the carriage ride to Hateno, she felt far too guilty to request such a thing from her host. What if the request set him off? Made him think all she cared about were his things? She didn't want to give the wrong impression over something as trivial as a diary entry.

"How was your bath?" came his soft voice, almost a whisper on the wind. Zelda jumped as his words startled her back to reality. She recovered as quickly as she could manage.

"It was…um…lovely. T-thank you very much for preparing it for me."

"It wasn't any trouble. I'm sure you're exhausted after such a long day though; don't feel like you have to keep yourself awake on my account."

'He wants me to leave him alone. I must be upsetting him with my presence. Perhaps it really is my unnatural hair, the way Hilda warned. Or maybe my voice grates upon his ears like nails across a chalkboard…'

"I-in that case…I will turn in for the night. Thank you again…for your hospitality this evening," she said, bowing deeply.

As she straightened up again, she could see him arch an eyebrow towards her even through the muted light of the evening. Why did he keep doing that? Was she really that tactless that she kept upsetting him with every word she spoke?

"I just made a little extra dinner and drew up a fresh bath; you don't have to bow for that."

"O-oh. Um, I'm terribly sorry."

"I wasn't criticizing you or anything," he added, a note of surprise in his thus-far even voice.

"I…see. I'm very sorry for my misunderstanding, Link…"

"You apologize a lot, don't you?"

Zelda felt her eyes widen in shock as she raced to recover the situation. He was already getting fed up with her. Why wouldn't he be? She was so pathetic and hopeless that even her own family had long since stopped trying to help her better herself. Why would Link, to whom she was a perfect stranger, feel any other way? She bit back the feeling of bitter tears that threatened to overwhelm her. If she cried in front of him within hours of their meeting, surely he would never want anything to do with her again.

"Sorry," Link continued quickly, "I hope that didn't sound judgmental. Just something I've noticed tonight, that's all. I shouldn't be saying things like that when I only met you a few hours ago." Zelda shook her head, her voice miniscule.

"Y-you need not worry; you're right…about everything."

"Everything?" he repeated, curious again.

There was that same expression, the one he wore every time he looked at her. Every time she spoke. She needed to remove herself from his sight before she irreparably damaged her relationship with him.

"Um, y-yes. But…you requested I retire for the evening so I shall…leave you in peace. Thank you again…for everything."

She was only somewhat aware of the look of genuine surprise on Link's face as she turned towards the room he had graciously provided her with and rushed away. Only when the door to that new bedroom had safely closed behind her did she allow the tears that had been straining to escape her hold to spill forth at last. She stifled any noises that might accompany them, but she just couldn't hold them back any longer.

'Of course I'm apologizing too much. Link doesn't want to hear my pathetic excuses for why I am the way I am. He probably doesn't yet wish to confront the truth that the fiancé promised to him by the King himself is as worthless and miserable as I am. I'm already ruining his nightly rituals – forcing him to exert extra effort when preparing dinner, causing him to do the same with the bath, intruding on his private time before bed that he spends at his desk in the loft. What if that desk was once housed in this very room? If that is the case, then I have all but evicted him from his personal space for my own sorry sake…'

Zelda only managed to make her way to the foot of her new bed before collapsing onto the mattress. She seized her pillow and hugged it, doing everything she could to silence her anguish. Why couldn't she just be good enough? Why was she always such a failure? Why could she never fix herself, even for the sake of someone who deserved better?

She wasn't sure what time it was when it finally happened, but eventually Zelda cried herself to sleep.

"Zelda! I have something amazing to show you in the Castle's lower levels!" Hilda sang, her eyes sparkling.

Zelda was a little surprised. Hilda hadn't wanted to spend time with her for a few weeks now. She had already chased her out of their tower. Maybe she felt bad about that. Her sister had never really been great at apologizing even when she knew she'd done wrong. This was likely her way of trying to bury the hatchet with her.

"Okay! I'd love to see it!" Zelda promised, sporting as large a smile as she possibly could.

Zelda and Hilda were only nine but they had a lot of freedom. As long as they both completed their educational studies each day, and Hilda her magic training, they could essentially do whatever they pleased. Zelda felt guilty that she couldn't help her sister with more, though.

When they had turned seven, Hilda had tapped into the Sealing magic their father always spoke of. At first, Zelda had felt incredibly jealous – she remembered it like it was yesterday. The moment her sister had first utilized her powers, their father had fallen to his knees and nearly broken down in tears of joy and relief, hugging her and singing her praises for hours. Even at such a young age, Zelda understood that Hilda's magic was important against the Calamity. She wasn't fully aware of what problems the event would actually bring, but she knew her sister would be able to save everyone with her powers.

But still, Zelda wanted to be loved and relied on too. She wanted to share her sister's burden, take some of the pressure off of her shoulders. She worked tirelessly to awaken her own Sealing magic. She asked Hilda to demonstrate her abilities many times in an attempt to copy them, but she never managed the same herself. And after a few years, her father told her to just give up and stop trying, that Hilda was more than enough to keep the Calamity at bay. Reluctantly, Zelda accepted his words. It was around that time that Hilda had grown cold and distant, chasing her from their shared tower and making it hers alone. Their father didn't object to the change.

Tonight, however, Zelda was hopeful. Her sister was behaving the way she used to. There was a spring in her step, a sparkle in her eye, and a playful lilt to her voice. Zelda wanted to hug her harder than she'd ever hugged anyone before. Her sister was back, the sister she missed so badly that she cried almost every night. Hilda didn't hate her. She had just gotten lost for a little while.

"Where are we going Hilda?" Zelda asked excitedly as she followed along with a bright smile. Her sister just placed a finger over her lips and winked.

"It's a secret! You'll see when we get there!" Zelda's stomach flipped in anticipation. When was the last time they'd gone on an adventure through the Castle like this?

They were experts at sneaking through the halls at night. Though the guards only patrolled the outer perimeter of the Castle proper, they would have been asked to go to bed if any adult had spotted them this late. Yes, they were the Twin Princesses of Hyrule, but neither of them were old enough yet that they could order around adults without a very good reason. And a late-night excursion through the Castle wasn't one of them. Luckily, they had done this for years and nobody was any the wiser as to where the two young girls were by the time they'd arrived at their destination.

This was a part of the Castle Zelda had never seen before. A large wooden door stood before them and she wondered what was behind it that Hilda found so amazing. Perhaps it was the storeroom for the desserts the chefs were going to make tomorrow. They both had quite a sweet tooth after all; it would be a wonderful treasure trove for each of them. Or maybe it was a collection of Mother's old dresses and jewelry. She knew Hilda missed their mother as badly as she did, even if her sister was a bit less inclined to show her feelings to anyone else.

"What is this place?" Zelda murmured.

"Shh," Hilda cautioned her, grinning triumphantly as she produced a silver key from her dress's pocket. Zelda couldn't help but gasp.

"Hilda…did you steal that?"

"Of course not; I just…borrowed it for a little while. I'll put it back before anyone misses it," she explained, her eyes twinkling.

Though Zelda was a bit conflicted by this news, she decided to let it go. Hilda had always been the mischievous one and even though Zelda tended to admonish her when she broke the rules, tonight she refused to do so. Her sister was trying in the only way she knew how to mend their relationship. What did it really matter if Hilda swiped a key from someplace she shouldn't have if Zelda could once again fall asleep hugging her sister in the bed they'd always shared?

"So, what are we doing here?" Zelda whispered, sure to keep her voice low. Hilda grinned before gesturing to the lock.

"We're going treasure hunting." Zelda gasped.

"Really?"

"Of course! There are all kinds of rare, secret things in there. I peaked in earlier but I didn't want to do this without you." Zelda could have cried; she hadn't heard Hilda say things like this to her in too long. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, grinning at her sister once she could manage it again.

"Let's go treasure hunting then! It's been so long since we've done something like this."

"It really has been. Okay, I'll open the door. Be careful, though – it's a little dark in there. We have to go down the stairs before it'll be brighter, so watch your step, okay?"

"I will!" she promised.

Hilda inserted the silver key into the lock and turned it with a resounding thunk. With one last mischievous grin at Zelda, she pulled the handle and the dim light of the hallway spilled into the shadows behind the entrance.

Of course, Hilda had been right. The door opened into a stairwell that was very long and very dark. From far ahead, she could just barely make out the hints of a torch or lantern, the singular light in the oppressive darkness below. What could possibly be down there? It probably wasn't the dessert storage like she'd hoped but maybe it was a secret study of Father's.

It made sense that he would keep it locked. Maybe he had all sorts of different scepters and capes down there. She could see them both dressing up and playing around with the ceremonial garbs, laughing as they impersonated their father's gruff, kingly voice. Perhaps he, too, kept a diary. Would they get in trouble for reading it if he did? Hilda had really come into his graces lately; she could probably keep them both from being scolded if they were caught.

"Okay Zelda, you go in first and watch the stairs. I'll pull the door closed behind us so we don't get caught."

"Okay, I'm ready."

Carefully, the young girl stepped down into the stairwell, her eyes slowly beginning to adjust to the darkness. She stepped down three times before pausing and waiting for Hilda to join her. There didn't seem to be anyone moving out of the dim light in the distance. They were fine for now.

The door clattered shut behind her and she grinned despite the nervousness she felt. She didn't really like being in dark places like this but for the sake of an adventure with her sister again, she would go anywhere and do anything. As she turned to take Hilda's hand and guide her down the stairs, though, she heard the disconcertingly familiar thunk of the door lock being reengaged.

That was strange. Hilda shouldn't be able to lock the door from this side.

Reaching out through the dense blackness that enveloped her vision, she found that her sister wasn't there at all. Maybe she'd made a mistake, accidentally closed the door before she was ready to come through and the lock had automatically fallen back into place. That was it; it had to be. Climbing the stairs carefully, Zelda knocked on the door.

"Hilda? What happened? Are you stuck on the other side?" It only took a moment for Zelda's heart to sink into her stomach.

"No, stupid! You're stuck on the other side!"

Zelda's heart began racing in her chest but she tried not to panic. Hilda was just a bit upset. She could bring her back again. They'd had such a nice time getting here after all. It would be okay.

"Hilda, w-why don't we explore some more together, okay? I was really having fun with you. Won't you…won't you please come in with me?" Her voice betrayed the fear that was welling up in her chest no matter how hard she tried to be brave.

"I was never going in there," Hilda spat through the door. "You're so easy to trick, Zelda. I can't believe you just followed me all the way here after I threw you out of the tower and ran you out of the guest rooms once already. Really, you're such an idiot." A cold dread started to fill her chest.

"H-Hilda? Where are we? Where have you locked me up?"

"Where else do you lock someone up? The dungeons, of course."

"…w-what?"

"That's right, Zelda. You get to spend the night in the dungeons instead of that ugly guest room! Maybe the change of scenery will be nice!"

Zelda felt her breathing speed up. She tried to control herself but just couldn't stay the terror that was starting to overwhelm her. Hilda had trapped her in the dungeons? With all the dangerous criminals that Father had warned them so many times never to approach?

"Hilda, t-this isn't funny. Come on, please let me out. You're not really going to leave me here all night, are you?" A derisive laugh was all that greeted her.

"Why else would I have come looking for you tonight? What, you thought I really wanted to go on an adventure with you? How dumb are you?"

"Hilda!" Zelda cried out at last, unable to control her emotions any longer. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the door handle and tried to tug it open, the wooden slab rattling in its frame. It refused to budge. "Please don't leave me down here! I'm…I'm really scared…"

"Oh, you'll be fine; the prisoners are all locked in their cells anyway. Don't worry so much."

"Please, Hilda! Whatever I did, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please don't leave me down here alone!"

"Didn't you just hear me? You won't be alone! You'll have plenty of roommates for the night."

"Hilda!"

"Goodnight, Zelda. Don't scream too loud; you wouldn't want to disturb Father this late. And I'm sure he'd be disappointed that you disobeyed him and went to the dungeons. See you tomorrow, dear sister."

"Hilda, please! Please don't leave me!"

Her sister didn't say another word though. If she strained to listen through the door, she could hear Hilda's tiny footsteps fading away in the distance, no doubt to return the key she had stolen. She wasn't coming back. Zelda was trapped down her alone…all night. With no one but…the prisoners below…

She stayed at the top of the stairs for as long as she could bear it. But it was winter in Hyrule and the depths of the Castle were particularly cold, especially in her nightgown. She recalled once seeing a soldier carrying blankets and, upon asking him where he was taking them, he told her they were for the prisoners in the dungeons. Perhaps…there was an extra blanket somewhere she could use. But that meant…going down the stairs…

After shivering for long enough and starting to lose some of the feeling in her toes, she decided there was no other choice. Slower than she'd ever moved before, Zelda tiptoed down the stairs towards the cells, keeping her hand on the stone wall beside her to make sure she didn't fall. As she did so, that faint light grew just a touch brighter. She thanked the Goddess that there was at least a torch on the wall at the bottom; it was so dark at the top she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

After finally reaching the bottom, she peeked around the corner, her heart hammering in her chest. Maybe everyone was already asleep in their cells. She could sneak by and take a blanket for herself from someplace before anyone saw her.

But she very quickly found out that wasn't true as a voice rang out across the expanse.

"Hey, there's a little kid by the stairs."

A few gruff voices called out, most of them asking 'why,' but Zelda could barely hear them over the sound of her own heartbeat as it thundered even more loudly in her ears. She peered just a bit further around the corner and her eyes fell upon the man she thought had just spoken.

He was a huge man with an eyepatch covering his left eye. His arms were the size of tree trunks, bearing all manner of scars and marks. The man was bald and wore rather ragged clothing, though even his outfit was more appropriate for the temperature surrounding them than her own nightgown was.

"What are ya doin' down here, kid?" the man asked her. She took several shallow breaths before finding her voice.

"I…I got…stuck…"

"Now how'd that happen? They lock that door upstairs, don't they?"

"…I was…tricked…"

"Huh. Now that's interestin'."

"Maybe it was that little purple-haired witch, Hilda." Another voice called out from across the cells.

How did they know Hilda? Had she come down here before?

"Now you mention it, this one does look an awful lot like that ugly rat. Hey kid – you know Hilda?" Zelda was breathing so fast her vision was tunneling a bit.

"I…um…she's…my sister…" A few roars of anger sounded around the room and she flinched badly, crouching down and hiding behind the corner.

"Sister, huh?" the man with the eyepatch spoke. "Bet she's the one who trapped ya down here with us monsters, eh?"

Zelda couldn't speak anymore; she just peered around the corner and nodded.

"Real piece 'a work, that sister you got. Few of the boys hate her guts, you know."

"…w…why is…that?" she managed at last.

"Oh, she comes down here and taunts us sometimes. Girl ain't got good sense. If someone got 'a hold 'a her through the bars, they'd wring her scrawny little neck." Zelda gasped and covered her mouth, recoiling in horror.

"Now look what you did; you scared her," a second voice called out.

"Yeah, you gotta be nicer to little kids," another voice echoed. Zelda managed to peak around the bricks once more.

"Shut up, all 'a you," Eyepatch sighed, rolling his good eye in exasperation. "Maybe we can make a deal, huh?" he proposed, staring directly at Zelda.

"A…a deal…?" she murmured, her eyes darting around in every direction.

"Yep. You cold?"

She couldn't manage a response.

"You look cold."

She simply nodded again.

"Tell ya what – I'll give ya this blanket I've got if you come stay with us for the night."

"W…what?"

"We're not gonna hurt ya. But we might be able to get outta here if we have you."

"I…I don't…um…I…"

"Anybody tries to hurt ya, I'll feed 'em one 'a these iron bars. Deal?" Zelda was shivering badly now; it had nothing to do with the temperature.

"That…that's…okay…"

"Come on, you're gonna freeze down here otherwise."

"I…I…really can't-"

The man rattled the bars all of a sudden and Zelda yelped, withdrawing behind the wall again.

"What's with you damn brats!? Thinkin' you're so important! Get over here and be warm for the night then be our ticket outta this hell tomorrow!"

Zelda felt herself start to cry but refused to show them. If they saw her crying, they might be able to use that against her somehow. She wasn't stupid by any means, but an adult was surely more clever than a nine year old girl…

"Great, now look what you did!? You yelled at her and scared her off! Idiot! She was our ticket outta this dump!" It was one of the other voices from before that spoke.

"Shut the hell up! You got a problem with me!? Come over here and I'll make it so you never talk to me like that again!" Eyepatch shouted back, his voice far more frightening than it had been so far.

"Soon as we get outta here! That's a promise!"

Zelda couldn't bear to hear the yelling anymore. She turned and ran as fast as she could back up the stairs, back into the all-enveloping darkness. The screaming and arguing and jeering seemed to follow her back up as if it were chasing her. The man with the eyepatch roared after her as he heard her run, shouting at her to come back. Yelling at her. Demanding she listen to him. She couldn't. If people like that got their hands on her, there was no telling what they could demand of Father. Would he even care at this point? Would Hilda?

As Zelda pounded on the door that led to the dungeons, praying to the Goddess that anyone in the Castle would hear her tiny fists against the thick wood, she felt her tears overwhelm her again. Why was this happening to her? What had she done to make Hilda hate her so much? What had she done to deserve being locked down here all alone?

Long after she gave up on being heard from the outside, the prisoners were still shouting after her. Some were begging her to come back. Some were asking nicely. Some were demanding it. Some were even threatening her. Zelda sank to the ground, covering her ears with her hands as she rocked back and forth on one step.

"It'll be okay soon," she whispered to herself, her heart still pounding. "It'll be morning soon. I'll be okay. I'll be okay…"

Eventually, tears overwhelmed her again. She couldn't stop them. She cried even harder than when Mother had passed away for what could have been minutes or hours. The frigid air wrapped around her like a cruel blanket the entire time. Occasionally, she could still hear the shouting of the prisoners even with her hands covering her ears and her heart thundering within them.

"I'm sorry, Hilda. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"

She repeated the words like a mantra, over and over again without pause, until she was too overwhelmed and exhausted to stay awake any longer.

Zelda awakened with a start, bolting into a sitting position in bed. She looked around the room hurriedly, trying to calm her panicked mind. It took a few moments to realize where she was – her new room in Link's house. Trying to calm herself again, Zelda slumped her face against her hand, still breathing heavily despite her best efforts. She felt the remnants of tears on her cheeks.

It had been a few months since she'd seen that particular nightmare. It was her most terrible memory. More so than any awful thing her father or Hilda had ever said to her. More so even than the day Mother had passed away. That night in the dungeon was responsible for the most uncontrollable traumas in her life. And to this day, she couldn't go down a dark set of stairs unless she held a lantern in her own hands. Even then, it was still a struggle.

She would never in her life forget the aftermath either. Following her miserable night, the morning guardsman unlocked and opened the door that led to the dungeon. He was shocked to find the Second Princess of Hyrule on the stairs, weeping and shivering – she hadn't slept for very long and was wide awake when he'd arrived. The soldier had quickly knelt down to check on her and she had hugged him without thinking, sobbing into his shoulder. The man comforted her and picked her up in his arms, carrying her trembling frame to the throne room.

Though her father had come to disregard her entirely these days, back then he was still at least cognizant of her, perhaps even slightly concerned. When a simple prison guard had requested an audience with him while holding his wailing daughter in his arms, he looked genuinely shocked. Through her panic and anguish, Zelda heard the man report what he could – he had found her locked behind the entrance to the dungeon, shaking and crying on the stairs all alone. When her father had asked her how she'd wound up behind the locked door, she pretended she was too upset to answer. She didn't want to betray her sister.

After that, Zelda had spent several hours being checked by doctors. They were initially worried she might have developed frostbite, but, as luck would have it, she was physically okay. Mentally, however...

Later that same day, evidently, the guardsman had returned to the dungeons and demanded answers from the prisoners. From the story she'd overheard after the fact, they were all too eager to reveal that the Crown Princess of Hyrule had trapped her sister in the dungeons with them as well as the fact that she routinely visited them to make snide comments and insult them.

But upon learning the truth, their father didn't punish Hilda. He likely scolded her quite severely, though, as Zelda became the focal point for her sister's ire much more routinely and aggressively after that. Their relationship had never improved again.

The sound of metal striking metal yanked Zelda out of her reminiscence. She glanced towards the covered window and saw the light glow of morning shining through the curtains. It couldn't have been later than she usually awakened. But the noises outside meant…Link was up?

'No, he can't be awake already, right? I'm…supposed to be up first. He probably expects me to do the same things Hilda demanded – lay out his clothes, bring him breakfast, see him off as he starts his duties for the day! What have I done? My first morning here and already I'm failing him!'

Zelda leapt from her bed and ran to the door, wrenching it open. Link was indeed awake and completely dressed. She looked on in horror as she noticed several things: he had already made breakfast, his own plate was empty, and he was stirring whatever it was that remained in the cooking pot.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he asked, his voice as soft as it had been the night before.

Perhaps it was how close to uncontrollable her emotions were that morning or maybe she was still overwhelmed by bad memories, but Zelda couldn't stop the tears that spilled from her eyes. Link's own widened in concern as she bowed her head deeply, her voice struggling to break through her heartache.

"I-I'm so terribly sorry, Link. It's only my first morning here and…I'm failing in all I should be doing as your fiancé. I should have…b-been up before you. I never asked what time you wake up and I lazed around i-in your house after you've taken such wonderful care of me."

Link opened his mouth to speak but stopped short as Zelda fell to her knees, clasping her hands in front of her chest. She was looking up at him now, the image of him swimming through her tears.

"Please, forgive me…Link. I…know you must be disappointed in me. I know I'm…not who you wanted to marry. I know you must be so angry a-and rightfully so. Even m-my face and hair color probably make you feel…revolted."

As he stepped closer, Zelda panicked. He was sick of her. Done with her. She was useless. Worthless. Ugly. Unsightly. The biggest failure to ever be born. He would seize her bodily and throw her out through his front door. He would be done with her forever. All she could do was beg him not to. Beg him to let her life have a purpose, even if she was still doomed to fail this task in the end. She fell forward and pressed her forehead to the floor, prostrating herself before him.

"Please, let me make it up to you! I'm so deeply sorry to have spit in your face after you showed me such kindness last night! I will spend every waking moment repaying your generosity in opening your home to someone like me if you'll just allow me the chance! Berate me, strike me, whatever you must, but please don't throw me out! I beg you, Link! Please!"

Silence descended over the house as she finished, still crying hard. She refused to raise her head though. If she dared to meet his gaze too soon, she was afraid she would be met with disdain. No, she would keep her head bowed to him. She would try to prove that he could trust in her deference to him. She wouldn't move unless he threw her out…or miraculously accepted her apology.

"Zelda, please raise your head."

Her resolve evaporated immediately and she did as he asked, timidly rising to her knees again. She didn't want it to seem as if she were ignoring his order. But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

Link lowered himself to his knees before her and placed a hand atop her head. She gasped and eyed him in wonder, unsure of what this meant. His eyes were pained but he wore a gentle smile on his lips. She had never seen this expression before. What was she meant to take from it? Was he holding back anger? Happy she had realized her place? Conflicted about keeping her around?

"I'm…sorry," he murmured. Zelda felt her mind go blank. She responded before she even realized how rude her question sounded.

"Why…are you sorry?" He grimaced and averted his gaze, finally allowing his hand to fall to his side again.

"I'm…not really good with people. Certainly not new people. I didn't mean to, but I've clearly given you the wrong impression of me. I'm sure the way I refused to speak at dinner last night didn't help."

"You…have done nothing wrong…" she murmured.

"That's not true, at least not the way I see it. To be honest…I didn't know what to say to you last night. This all happened so fast – the letter from your sister, the arranged marriage, you being sent out here. I didn't expect any of it and I guess I just wasn't sure what to do. Why would one of the Princesses of Hyrule want to hear anything I have to say?"

Zelda opened her mouth to assure him she was interested in anything he told her, but she couldn't find her voice enough to even manage a squeak, much less a full word.

"I'm a…pretty quiet guy. I don't have a lot of friends, even here. So to find out you're my fiancé as ordered by the King was a pretty big shock. But I don't resent you, Zelda."

"You…you don't?"

"Not at all. I don't hate you. I'm not angry with you. And I don't think you're revolting."

Fresh tears sprang to Zelda's eyes but she did her best not to let them fall.

"I also don't expect you to be my caretaker or anything like that. First and foremost, you're the Princess of this Kingdom. Even if you weren't, I'd never expect you to wait on me hand and foot. But more than that, you've been shipped off to somewhere you've probably never even seen before to live with a man you know nothing about. I'm sure you're even more overwhelmed right now than I am."

"I…was…convinced you'd hate me if…if I didn't treat you appropriately…"

"Who convinced you of that? Hilda?"

A tiny gasp sounded from Zelda. All she could do was nod.

"She really hates me, you know," he said with a bemused grin.

Despite herself, Zelda actually allowed a tiny laugh to escape her. The sound was so foreign. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed…

"She told you some pretty bad things about me, huh?" Link murmured.

Zelda gave him a timid nod.

"Did she really tell you I'd hit you if you didn't serve me…?"

"Um…not directly…no…but…" Link scowled briefly. Zelda panicked for a moment before he shook his head.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. That wasn't directed at you. My relationship with Hilda is…complicated. I don't like her either, to be perfectly honest. But for her to tell you I'd hit you if you didn't read my mind and wait on me like a servant…I never thought she'd sink so low."

"Then…you…"

"I would never hit you, Zelda. I swear that to you," Link told her, meeting her gaze directly. She was dumbfounded and couldn't find the words to respond so he elected to continue. "I don't like hurting anyone, but I would never in my life raise my hand against a woman. And certainly not you – again, you're one of the Princesses of Hyrule."

"I…don't much consider myself…to be…"

"I'll admit, I expected you'd act a lot more like Hilda before we met last night."

"I'm sorry if I disappointed you," she murmured, hanging her head again. Link shook his own quickly.

"Trust me, you should never apologize for that." She shouldn't? But…everyone loved her sister. Before she could further dwell on the thought, his words drew her attention once more.

"Like I said…I'm not the most approachable person in the world. I've been working on it but even now people find me hard to talk to. I'd…like to get to know you, though." Zelda gazed at Link in wonder before finally managing to respond.

"I would…as well…"

"I think the hardest part for us right now is just talking, don't you?"

She simply nodded. The irony was almost entirely lost on her.

"I'd like for you to feel like you can speak honestly to me. I recognize that'll take some time, but as long as you're here in Hateno, know that you can talk to me or ask me anything if something's on your mind, okay?" She nodded at last.

"O…okay."

"And I promise if I ask you something myself, it's not because I'm unhappy with you or criticizing you."

"I'll…try to…keep that in mind," she managed.

Link rose to his feet again, offering her his hand. Nobody had ever done that for her, certainly not in as long as she could remember. Though she felt hesitant, she placed her palm in his and he lifted her to her feet again, supporting her forearm with his other hand. He very quickly released her and gave her a gentle smile.

"I'm sorry my being up so early started and upset you like that." She shook her head quickly.

"N-no, it wasn't…your fault. Do you…always rise so early in the mornings?"

"Not every day, no. This is still a very young village and even though my family is pretty well off with money, Rupees don't really do this place a lot of good beyond hiring construction teams or ordering fabrics for clothing. So I go hunting for the village in the forests surrounding us every other day, usually."

"Hunting?"

"Yeah. This is a farming village – most houses and families specialize in their own crops. Vegetables are abundant here. But nobody raises animals just for their meat. So, I go hunting to make sure everyone has enough food to go around. It's my way of thanking them for welcoming me a few years back."

"That's very…kind of you." Link shrugged.

"I don't know that the animals in the wild share that feeling. But we Hylians have been living off the land around us for centuries now so I can't exactly feel guilty when we've built our society around that fact. Not when I can help others who deserve it."

Zelda was a little surprised by how philosophical Link's thinking on the subject was. She had never really considered what hunting was before. But he very clearly had. The fact that he felt empathy for the animals he hunted as well as the people of his village said a lot about him. And none of it was in line with the way Hilda had described him…

"So," she began, trying to force her voice to come with more certainty, "you go hunting every other…day then?"

"Usually. Today just happens to be a hunting day. Sorry I didn't mention it last night." She shook her head quickly.

"N-no, I'm sorry. I should have asked you what your life was like in this village." Link gave her a tiny smile again.

"You really do apologize a lot, Zelda."

"I'm sorry-"

"You should save it for when you really want someone to understand those feelings," he interjected, his voice gentler than she'd yet heard it. "If you say those words too often, they tend to lose their meaning, don't you think?" She felt her eyes widen in amazement as she gazed at him.

"…you're…right…"

"My turn to apologize, though," he added, grimacing again. "I shouldn't be lecturing you, not after how badly I failed to introduce myself to you last night." She shook her head quickly.

"I…I appreciate your words, Link. I have a…t-tendency to apologize quite quickly. I'll…work on that."

"That wasn't a criticism, by the way."

"I…believe you. It felt more like advice…I'm not used to that." Link frowned. It seemed like he wanted to ask her about that comment but evidently decided against it as he gestured to the cooking pot nearby, changing the subject quickly.

"I made fried eggs and rice for breakfast. It's still warm if you'd like some. But I do have to head out to get started hunting. If I go at the same hour of the day every time, eventually the animals will start avoiding this place. But if I change the time I hunt, they don't avoid the forests. At least they haven't so far. This is the earliest I ever go, though."

"O-oh. Of course," she acknowledged, nodding quickly.

Link crossed the room and lifted his equipment from the weapon mounts on his wall. He sheathed the Master Sword in its scabbard and slung the entire package across his back, placing the Hylian Shield and silver bow alongside it. Zelda couldn't stop herself and called after him.

"Um…do you hunt with the Master Sword?" Link actually offered a light chuckle.

"No, I hunt with the bow. The Master Sword and Hylian Shield just come with me in case I run into any monsters while I'm out. I probably shouldn't be without the Master Sword anyway."

"That…makes perfect sense. What…kind of bow is that? I've never seen such a thing before."

"I took it off of a Lynel a few years back," he explained.

Zelda's eyes widened in surprise. Lynels were vicious creatures; she couldn't imagine a Hylian fighting one. But then again, Link had fight the Calamity five years ago. Just how powerful was he?

"That is…incredible…" He gave her an easy smile.

"I had a little help," he admitted, patting the hilt of his blade, "but I'll admit it wasn't easy. Best bow I've ever had, though. I'm not looking forward to the day it fires its last arrow."

Link seemed to be more at ease with her after their conversation. Zelda could tell she still had a ways to go herself but the fact that he was conversing with her so openly really helped her feel calmer. At least a little.

"Um, I…don't wish to keep you too long…" Zelda murmured.

"Don't worry; I'm not on that strict a timetable. But I'll head out now and hopefully be done by mid-afternoon." She managed the tiniest smile.

"I…well, in that case…I'll be here to greet you when you return."

"I'll look forward to it."

He would?

"Be…safe."

"I will be. Help yourself to anything here while I'm gone; this is your home now too."

With that, Link disappeared through the front door, pulling it shut behind him with a last wave. Zelda gazed after him in amazement.

'He…is nothing like Hilda described. Why would she and those noblewomen she spoke of say Link is a cruel man? Excluding Mother, Urbosa, and Beatrice, I…have never been treated with such kindness.'

Zelda began to prepare her own plate of food from the cooking pot but her eyes were unfocused. She kept thinking back to her conversation with Link from before. He hadn't shouted at her. He hadn't insulted or berated her. She could understand those kinds of responses. It was all she could understand, truthfully. And yet, Link's kindness seemed unlike anything she had encountered in an impossibly long time.

He had made sure she understood he wasn't angry. He had placed his hand upon her head, something nobody but Mother had ever done for her. He had spoken so gently and softly to her. He claimed he was bad at communicating with people but she didn't see it. No, Link seemed quite adept at expressing his kindness even when she had doubted it.

As she sat down at the table and began to eat, she was stricken again by how delicious his cooking was. Just like the curry rice last night, breakfast was expertly prepared, easily to the level of cooking she was used to at the Castle. As she savored each bite, her mind wandered again.

'I…was so laughably misled. I should never have believed secondhand descriptions about Link without first meeting him. My interpretation of his character was shameful. That I could believe such a kind man…would viciously strike me or scream at me belligerently the way I feared…how foolish of me.

'Mother always told Hilda and I to never judge someone unfairly. And yet…I believed such cruel words about Link without ever questioning them. Despite how unworthy and unlovable I am, Link still approached me with kindness. After holding him in such low esteem, I know I am not worthy to receive such a gift. And yet he offers it anyway.

'I will earn that kindness. I will apologize for the fact that I thought Link a heartless, cold man through my actions rather than my words. Perhaps that will be enough to endear someone as unintelligent and gullible as I am to him. I owe him that much at the very least. I may not understand why Hilda lied to me, but it doesn't matter. All that matters now is that I reciprocate Link's kindness with kindness of my own. That is all I can do to rectify this error, to properly repay him.'

She hadn't even realized she had already finished breakfast. The flavor was perfectly balanced and the textures exquisite; she had been all but hypnotized by it. Zelda knew how to cook well enough but not nearly to this level. Perhaps she could learn from his expertise and someday be able to prepare a comparable meal for him. He had said cooking was something he preferred to do alone but…would returning from a long day to a homecooked meal prepared for him be something that would make him happy? As long as she wasn't stepping on his toes by doing something like that, she felt it an appropriate goal to have.

'I will do what I can for now, no matter how useless I am. And I will do my best to trust that if anything upsets him…he'll tell me with the same kindness he has already proven himself to possess.'

Noticing he had left his dish at the side of the table, she collected it along with her own and prepared to wash them. She understood that he hadn't left it there because he expected her to take care of it – likely he had simply forgotten it. Perhaps he left it there every morning he departed this early and took care of it later to save himself time. But today he wouldn't have to.

In fact, there were many things Zelda could do to help him while he was gone during the days. Perhaps she would start by trying her hand at things she knew he would be okay with.

8/16/2023

Post-Chapter Note: Thanks so much for reading the latest installment of this new story of mine!

We still haven't jumped into Link's head yet but, of course, we will soon! I felt it pretty important to stay close to Zelda's thoughts and not get a break from them - for the first two chapters especially - for a few reasons. One, I want everyone to have a very good understanding of the way she thinks of herself and her life. And two, I honestly want her mentality to feel suffocating to myself as the author and you as the reader. It's hard to write her like this - it makes me very sad. But it's also very important for so much of the plot going forward that everyone feel her despair as deeply as possible so I'm really leaning into that. Sorry about that. But there's much, much more happiness to come! (Note: reminder that this story is based off of a light novel called 'My Happy Marriage' LOL).

If I were to pinpoint my favorite writing technique as an author, it would be using nightmare scenes to explore a character's personality and past. I've done it in a few works of mine now, including one of my other Zelink stories, and it's something I always feel adds a lot of depth to the characters and scenes. This particular nightmare is very important and I actually worded it very deliberately in the aftermath when she woke up - this is Zelda's most traumatic memory. She's had a bad life but that night in the dungeon is the worst thing that's ever happened to her, bar none. It'll come up a lot going forward so not only did I think it important to introduce early, I also wanted you to experience it in the moment with her instead of looking at it backwards through time and being somewhat removed from the sights, sounds, and sensations. In that way, the nightmare worked even better than I expected in terms of allowing me to take you back in time without breaking the forward momentum of the plot to do so.

And of course, Link is starting to demonstrate that he is very much not the man Hilda painted him to be (not that you're surprised, I'm sure). I won't say much about Link just yet since we'll be getting a lot more of him soon, but I hope you're enjoying his portrayal so far. I wanted him to feel somewhat awkward and a bit unconfident in himself socially. Obviously he hasn't shut everyone out in this world (courtesy of him not becoming a knight proper), but he's ultimately still Link. Certainly the Wild Era incarnation of him wouldn't be a social butterfly, so I hope I portrayed him feeling awkward in speaking to Zelda believably. It's something I can relate to quite well myself LOL!

Anyway, those are just some thoughts on the chapter that I thought might be fun to share! Expect the next chapter...probably by this weekend if I had to guess, I'm really enjoying writing this right now. Like I said up top, I'll slow down eventually so I don't burn out or even run the risk of doing so, but until that happens, I'm happy to keep going like this! Stuck to my goal of approximately 15 pages/9K word count too! (It's actually 9.5K this time, shh).

So for now, thank you so very much for reading! Take care everyone and I'll see you again in the next one!