Author's Note: Welcome everyone to my latest project! A couple of housekeeping things before we get started as well as some explanation as to the inspiration for this story.
This idea was heavily inspired by Agitogi Akumi's 'Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon' ('My Happy Marriage'). I've read the manga and novels and am currently watching the anime on Netflix and loving every second of it! (Note: your author is a weeb). I'm extremely enamored by a lot of ideas she uses in her story and I wanted to try my hand at something in a similar vein using Zelda and Link as the characters of choice since I love them so much and have not written them anywhere near enough just yet. As an important point, though, this story of mine will NOT be a simple retelling of 'My Happy Marriage' with different characters. I took inspiration from many specific ideas as a starting point, but this will very quickly become its own unique plot and story, I promise you. Simply using the content of another story and swapping out characters would never sit properly with me and it wouldn't be fun to write anyway.
As a note for new readers and a reminder for anyone who might be returning, I played all the Wild Era Zelda games in Japanese and, as such, write their dialogue literally hearing their Japanese voices in my head. As a result, I just can't write these characters without using Japanese honorifics sometimes, though I actually think it'll be a little less prevalent in this story than my others so far. The only one that matters in this first chapter is "-sama" (sah-mah) which is an honorific denoting someone of higher social status than oneself, usually royalty, or someone who deserves your utmost respect. I'll explain each one you'll need to know before each relevant chapter if there's a new one, but there won't be that many at all.
One more important note to explain here for understanding's sake - you'll read the term "Onee-sama" (oh-nay-sah-mah) a few times throughout this chapter. I went back and forth on whether or not I wanted to include a full on Japanese word in this, but to tell you the truth, I've always found English translations of that word to be stilted at best and distracting/detrimental to the work at worst. "Onee-sama" literally means something akin to "older sister whom I respect." You can sort of capture that same feeling of adoration (either legitimate or forced) with phrases like "dearest sister" or "honored sister" or just "big sister," but none of those really seem to capture the same grace or essence. And they feel really unnatural to me. So please just forgive that one - it doesn't happen too often and it will always be in reference to one single character. (Note: your author is still a weeb but still wants you to enjoy the way he writes his works).
Finally, I tend to write very sweet, fluffy stuff, even if the subject matter becomes dramatic sometimes. Even in the more serious moments, my goal is always to present positivity or hope for my characters in some way. Every Zelink story I've written so far falls under that umbrella and anyone who's read my stuff before knows this all too well. That is very much not the case with the first chapter of this new story, so be prepared for some darker, more upsetting subject material. Nothing graphic or explicit at all, but this first chapter is not going to make you smile. I promise there's a purpose for it though and if you stick with me for more, it won't all be this depressing. Again, these are two characters I love that I'm writing about!
As a final note in case people are still wary of this, there are zero Tears of the Kingdom spoilers in this story.
Anyway, that's enough out of me. I'll share some more updates and scheduling information at the end as well as some thoughts, but for now I'll stop talking and let you read. Please enjoy the first installment of my latest Zelink work, 'Stars in the Darkest Night.'
Book I - Meeting
Chapter 1 – The Second Princess
"Are you trying to poison me!? Get this foul concoction out of my face!" A ceramic plate shattered across the stone floor, the fruit cake it had only just supported splattering to the ground a moment later.
Zelda, Second Princess of the Kingdom of Hyrule, was on her knees in seconds, gathering the remains of the dessert she had spent the last hour preparing. The cold, shrill voice that had berated her belonged to her twin sister Hilda, older by two short minutes.
Hilda was the Crown Princess of Hyrule, true heir to the throne of their father, King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. She had a penchant for being cruel but Zelda could say nothing in her own defense.
'I deserve this, after all.'
"I'm terribly sorry, Onee-sama. I'll prepare you another."
Zelda's voice was almost inaudible and nearly monotone. She had long since learned that simply apologizing to her sister for anything she deemed offensive saved her an incredible amount of heartache.
"Don't even bother," Hilda spat, glowering down at her as she gathered the sharp edges of the shattered plate, careful not to cut her fingers. "I've completely lost my appetite after tasting that pathetic excuse for a cake."
"I'm very sorry. I'll try harder next time," she murmured, her head down as she finished collecting the pieces.
Some of the shattered shards had landed among the plush rug that decorated the cold floor of Hilda's tower. During the winter months, the room became quite frigid and Zelda's sister had requested several warm rugs be acquired for her bedroom many years ago. In truth, she had demanded the luxuries, but she had every right to do so after working so hard to save the Kingdom of Hyrule for so long.
The room was extravagant. Zelda had once called this tower her own bedroom as well. Once upon a time, she and Hilda shared this space. They had once been inseparable, unwilling to so much as sleep apart from one another following their mother's passing when they were six. It wasn't long, however, before that closeness had entirely vanished. Her sister had driven her from their shared tower more than a decade ago at this point.
The bedroom she had once known and loved had vanished completely after that. The space was now decorated with lavish couches and chairs that matched her sister's red eyes and long purple hair. Expensive end tables accented every piece of furniture one could comfortably sit upon and the aforementioned rugs greedily embraced the feet of anyone who chose to step upon them.
All of these flourishes for the extravagant were dwarfed, however, by Hilda's bed. An enormous mattress covered by a four-post shroud took up a large amount of the floorspace. The bedding was purple, her sister's preferred color, as opposed to the lighter shade of brown that had once represented the combination of the unique hues of their individual hair. This wasn't Zelda's home anymore. That much was more than clear to her at a glance.
Her sister bent over and seized the cake from the ground, lifting it in her bare hand and studying it.
"Unbelievable. You'd think after all these years with nothing to do, you'd at least be able to make one lousy dessert. You're as big a disappointment as ever, Zelda." Her voice was frigid like always.
"I'm truly sorry, Onee-sama."
Hilda threw the cake down atop the collection of plate shards, causing several to bounce away from the neat little pile Zelda had made. She reached out and brought the lost pieces back to their proper place before gathering them all in her hands. One of the sharp edges scratched the side of her palm but not enough to break her pale skin.
As she stood to take the remains of her dessert from Hilda's tower, she felt a light tugging on her hair. It wasn't uncomfortable or painful, though it was certainly an unfamiliar sensation. Turning her head to the left, Zelda saw her sister's hand running through her golden locks. Hilda's fingers were still covered in frosting from the fruit cake she had thrown on the ground just moments before and had evidently seen fit to clean her hand with Zelda's hair.
"Surely you were going to bathe before you slept, weren't you? After crawling around on the filthy ground like that, I can't imagine you going to bed without doing so. And this way, you've saved me the effort of leaving my tower again tonight."
"I was…"
"No harm done then, right Zelda?" she drawled, her ruby eyes glinting with disdain.
"Of course not, Onee-sama."
"Excellent! Now, I've grown tired of seeing your miserable face; leave my sight. I'll see you early tomorrow morning as always, though, dear Zelda."
"Of course."
Zelda timidly approached the exit, struggling to turn the extravagant doorknob while both hands were precariously occupied. Of course, her sister refused to raise even a finger to aid her. Finally, Zelda managed to force the door open after much effort and contorting of her hands, earning a second scratch on her palm for her troubles. She slipped back into the hallway and closed the door behind her. It was much easier to do that than it had been to open it.
Zelda carried the remains of her evening efforts back towards the Castle's spacious kitchen in silence. It had been approaching midnight when Hilda demanded a fruit cake. The Castle chefs had all retired for the evening but her sister was uncompromising in her desires. Zelda had all but been coerced into preparing the complicated recipe for her sister, something she had very much struggled with.
It was well after one o'clock in the morning now. She was so exhausted she wanted to cry but she had shed the last tears she was capable of producing long ago. Of course, with the ends of her long hair now caked in frosting, she had no choice but to wash it for a second time that night. That process alone would keep her awake until after two o'clock. And, as always, she would be expected to prepare Hilda's clothes in the morning before she set about her duties for the day. If she was lucky, she might sleep for five hours tonight.
'But this is what I deserve. I am a disappointment, a useless woman who has failed her Kingdom time and time again. If this is the only way I can be of service, then I should consider myself lucky. Without any purpose…what would be the point in living on?'
The Second Princess finished walking through the cold corridors of the Castle, at last reaching the kitchen. Of course, it was deserted save for her. She only hoped the chefs wouldn't miss the plate her failures had cost them.
The last thing she wanted to do was inconvenience them as well.
"You may enter," the gruff voice of King Rhoam sounded from inside the Sanctum.
Zelda watched as the guards outside the throne room opened the large doors and bowed their heads to the twin Princesses. Hilda swept past them, haughty and confident as usual, her turquoise dress billowing behind her. Zelda, however, made it a point to bow her head in return to each of them. They probably never received any thanks for their work and even though she didn't believe her gratitude meant anything at this point, perhaps it would help them smile even slightly.
Their father wasn't seated on the balcony above them; instead, he was standing in the center of the room, a pensive look on his face. Zelda briefly wondered what could possibly be on his mind that would cause him to make that face before quickly remembering it wasn't her place to ask him anyway. Her father hadn't cared about her existence for well over a decade now. Today would be no different. It was already shocking enough that she had been included in his invitation to the Castle Sanctum at all.
"How are you today, Father?" Hilda asked, her voice dripping with a sickening sweetness that made Zelda shiver in spite of her best efforts. The King grunted his acknowledgement of her words but didn't respond, causing her to scowl briefly.
After waiting for the doors to the Sanctum to close, their father, running his hand thoughtfully through his snow-white beard, let his eyes fall upon Hilda at last. It wasn't the loving look of a father, though. It was the calculated look of a schemer.
"You can't hide your worries from me, Father," Hilda chided with a smile. "I can tell when something's bothering you. What could possibly be on your mind? I saved us all from the Calamity years ago; it won't be returning for thousands of years more." The King cleared his throat.
"You saved us from the Calamity alongside Link, my dear Hilda. As impressive as your powers were and are, you shouldn't forget that there were two pieces to the puzzle that protected our Kingdom." Hilda frowned.
"Unfortunately, I'm well aware. But why bring him up now? I haven't had to see or think about Link for years and I'd quite like to keep it that way, thank you." The man sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I bring him up because he is the topic of today's discussion."
"Link is?"
"Indeed."
"Why is that?"
"A concerning…possibility has been brought to my attention recently."
"What might that be, Father?"
As the King gathered his thoughts, Zelda simply looked on. She was standing notably further away from their father than Hilda was but the man didn't beckon her closer. In fact, he had hardly spared her a glance since her arrival. This wasn't a surprise but Zelda was still wondering what reason she could have been summoned for.
"The possibility that he might one day be so dissatisfied with his current life in Hyrule that he decides to leave for a different land, taking the Master Sword with him."
"Though I may not think highly of him, Link is the hero chosen by the Goddess. Surely, he wouldn't think to abandon the land that he is destined to protect."
"You are well aware that Link is not a knight of the Hyrulean Army, correct?" Hilda huffed.
"Indeed I am. I always thought that quite brazen and arrogant, truth be told. The man who wields the Master Sword thinks himself too good to serve the King of Hyrule? The audacity is revolting," she spat, her red eyes narrowing. Their father shook his head.
"You misunderstand, Hilda. He would have become a knight back when he was chosen by the Master Sword, however I exempted him from service to our army myself." For the first time in countless moons, Zelda watched as Hilda's face contorted in surprise.
"…I'm afraid I don't understand. Why would you have done something like that? And why am I only just finding out about it?"
"This information was never pertinent before; you never heard of it because it was insignificant to your life and duties."
"Then it has suddenly gained significance?"
"In a manner of speaking. You see, Link's father saved my life before you were born. A particularly nasty horde of monsters attacked the Royal caravan once and my life was nearly forfeit. But that man, a simple yet honorable knight by the name of Arn, placed himself between me and the foul beasts. He fought like I'd never seen, suffering many wounds in the process, and ultimately saved my life. I would have been killed that day were it not for his actions. So I swore a life debt him."
"You did?"
"Indeed. Aside from making sure he and his new bride were more than taken care of monetarily, I promised Arn if he ever had any wish that was within my power to grant, all he had to do was speak it to me. He was a man of modest means, however, and never wanted for the extravagant. He did not request a title or any higher social status whatsoever. In fact, he never asked for a thing."
"Until…?"
"Until Link pulled the Master Sword from within Korok Forest."
"I'm starting to understand where this is heading," Hilda sighed.
"Arn's request of me was that I never force Link to become a knight. He, of course, knew his son better than anyone and understood that the societal pressures of being the Goddess's chosen warrior would already carry immense weight with it. To add on top of that being ostracized as an outsider by his fellow knights and moving away from his family home to live in the barracks would put so much pressure on him that he might indeed just shut down. I granted this request immediately as thanks for the life I still lived."
"Some of us didn't have such luxury when faced with the realities of the Calamity's awakening. Would that I could have skulked away from the responsibilities of being this Kingdom's savior the way he did."
"It turned out to be a wise choice, Hilda. Link became an exceptional swordsman without losing himself and aided you expertly when Ganon manifested. Or have you forgotten?"
"I concede that his performance was admirable and his defense of me valiant. I credit that more to his blade than his character, though."
"Well, you may need to quickly reconsider your opinion of him, my dear." Hilda raised an eyebrow and met his gaze directly.
"And why is that?"
"Because I wish to propose an offer of marriage to Link; obviously you, as the heir to the throne, will be his bride, Hilda."
"What!?"
Zelda flinched. She hadn't heard Hilda scream like that in a long time. Usually, that shrill, harsh tone was directed at her so there was a strange novelty in hearing it aimed at their father. The man simply nodded.
"You heard me correctly, my dear. You will become Link's fiancé and eventually his wife. Together, the two of you will preside over Hyrule as King and Queen. I thought it best to inform both of you of the future of the Kingdom," he finished, acknowledging Zelda at last. He still didn't look at her, though.
Hilda recovered from the initial shock and threw her arm out wildly.
"This is unacceptable, Father! You can't be that unaware of my feelings about Link!"
"Indeed, I am quite aware. Alas, the situation is precarious and pivotally important."
"More important than what I want!?" Zelda marveled for a moment by how brazenly she spoke to the King of Hyrule. Of course, she had almost always gotten what she wanted; there was no reason for her to behave otherwise. Zelda could never have thought herself important enough to take that kind of tone with her father.
"I am afraid so. The Calamity's shadow reigned over me for most of my tenure as King; I am well aware of what it takes to safeguard this Kingdom. Your Sealing magic and Link's Master Sword are the keys to protecting this land. I cannot risk Link becoming so fed up with his fame and the attention it garners him that he one day decides to leave Hyrule behind forever."
"But why would you suggest that he marry me!? I cannot stand that man!"
"Marrying you, Hilda, will tie him to the Royal Family in a way he cannot refuse. To essentially be asked to become the King of Hyrule is an offer that no one could reject, no matter how little they wished to assume the role. And as a result, the Master Sword will remain in Hyrule for the duration of his lifetime, safeguarding this land you fought so hard to protect for years."
Hilda was seething, her teeth grinding together as she glowered up at their father. Zelda was almost glad for the fact that no one ever paid attention to her; this situation was so deeply uncomfortable she wanted nothing to do with it. When her sister spoke again, her voice was calmer, though the anger in her heart clearly hadn't abated.
"I gave my entire life to safeguarding this Kingdom. You cannot ask me to give up the remainder of it as well. I have more than served my time as this land's protector and peacekeeper."
"Unfortunately, my dear, I am not asking. Link will marry into the Royal Family. We cannot afford to lose his abilities. If Hyrule comes under threat again, we will need him as much as we will need you." Hilda completely lost control of her emotions a moment later.
"I assure you, Father, I do not care if we lose Link or his abilities! I alone am more than capable of protecting this land and even if I weren't, that is no reason that the rest of my life should be forfeited to the idea of preventing the mere possibility of another hardship! That you would ask me to marry a man I detest is ridiculous! Did you love Mother?" The King blinked in surprise at her question but chose to answer it.
"I did, very much."
"Then how can you look your own daughter in the eye and tell her to marry someone for convenience?" Their father let a heavy sigh pass his lips.
"I wish things could be different, Hilda, but the unfortunate truth is I was simply lucky. Most who are born into Royalty or marry into it don't do so out of love or desire. Those marriages are based on political benefit alone. If you can simply tolerate the person you marry, then you're one of the luckier ones."
"I refuse to accept this," Hilda intoned, her voice dark and serious. "I devoted my entire childhood to Hyrule. I spent every single day from the time I was seven training to defeat the Calamity. You cannot ask me at the age of twenty-two to consign the rest of my life to the same miserable fate. I would rather die than subject myself to that."
"Hilda, don't be unreasonable."
"Unreasonable!? You ought to say that while looking into a mirror, Father!"
The King looked as if he might retort in anger but caught himself and took a calming breath. This was the way he always behaved with Hilda; he would never become outwardly upset with her. He might admonish or chide her, but his daughter could truly do no wrong in his eyes.
"Hilda," he began in a gentler voice, "I know the idea upsets you. But think of the future of this Kingdom. If a decade from now Link has long abandoned Hyrule and an incredible new threat arises, we will not have the strength to weather that storm, much less quell it. As members of the Royal Family, it is our duty to protect this hallowed Kingdom."
There was a long silence. Hilda was staring hard at their father but a moment later turned her gaze to Zelda. She no longer looked dejected or angry, however. In fact, Zelda knew her sister was scheming. She had seen that look far too many times over the years to think otherwise. Hilda's mind was working quickly behind her unblinking eyes and a moment later her mouth began to curl into a satisfied smile. It somehow always looked sinister to Zelda.
"Father. Might I make a proposal?" she began in a much calmer voice.
"I don't see why not," the man conceded. Hilda made a sweeping gesture towards her, the long sleeve of her dress billowing around her arm.
"Why not have my dear sister marry Link instead?" Zelda felt her eyes widen in shock.
"Zelda?" their father questioned, his eyes narrowing. Hilda simply nodded, her smile growing wider by the second.
"Yes. Zelda. Regardless of right to the throne, an invitation to marry any member of the Royal Family would be exceedingly difficult to turn down, especially for one of such common social status. Perhaps it might work out even better for everyone involved, don't you think? Link retired to that rural dirt heap – ahem, excuse me – to that young farming village of Hateno in order to escape his spot in the public eye; wouldn't a marriage that forced him to become King be a bit too much to ask of him?"
"Hmm…you do raise a fair point," he conceded. Zelda was still reeling from the suggestion.
'Me…marry Link? The Goddess's chosen hero? I can think of no less terrible a match. He is a savior, responsible for protecting every life in Hyrule. I am a failure, someone who could never hope to measure up to him despite my title. And…though I have never met Link personally, every story I've ever heard about him has been rather ambiguous. I cannot even begin to parse the type of man he is...'
"Besides," her sister continued, growing more excited by the word, "Zelda has all but been forgotten by the general public of Hyrule. She has no suitors nor any prospects for marriage at all. This would be a kindness for my worthless sister! This way, even her pathetic self might be useful to the Kingdom in a way she has never been before!"
"That…is a possibility I hadn't stopped to consider, I must admit," their father murmured. He was stroking his beard again, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Zelda finally spoke for the first time since entering the chamber.
"Um…I wonder-"
"Did I say I wanted to hear your ugly voice?" Hilda spat, shooting her a withering glare. Zelda's mouth snapped closed and she cast her gaze downwards at once, shame flooding her body.
'What am I thinking…? This isn't a place I should be expressing my own opinion…'
Their father said nothing. He didn't so much as acknowledge her. In fact, for upwards of a minute, he seemed lost in thought, planning out the intricacies of the situation in his mind. At last, he spoke again, a thoughtful smile on his face.
"That might actually work, Hilda. Perhaps even better than my own plan, just as you say."
"Really?" she asked, giddy now.
"Yes. As you pointed out, Link has been trying to avoid public favor and attention; coercing him into becoming King might backfire spectacularly now that I think it through more carefully. But if Zelda were to be his bride, he would still become tied to the Royal Family without the notoriety of becoming King himself. And that would, of course, leave you to choose your own acceptable partner to eventually inherit the throne alongside yourself." Hilda was positively glowing with happiness now.
"I'm so glad we're in agreement, Father! I must admit, I hadn't expected such a stroke of genius to occur to me but we're quite lucky it did."
"Indeed. In that case," he paused, turning towards Zelda for the first time. His face morphed into that of the rigid King in an instant. "Zelda. You will be offered to the hero Link as his fiancé. It is your responsibility to ensure that he marries into the Royal Family and remains here in Hyrule to safeguard our future. Is that understood?"
"…yes, Father," she managed, bowing her head.
"Father, I have another idea that might help ensure your plan's success," Hilda began, nearly singing each word as if she were an eager child again.
"Oh? What might that be?"
"Why not send Zelda to Hateno Village to live alongside Link?" The King's eyes widened.
"Send Zelda to him? Why would you suggest such a thing? That is quite the unorthodox course of action with regards to a member of the Royal Family." Hilda waved her hand.
"Oh Father, Zelda is hardly Royalty, wouldn't you agree? She is essentially my servant these days; the only way you might be able to tell otherwise is that one decent dress she wears. But more importantly – Link is quite unapproachable, wouldn't you say?"
"Hmm…he certainly isn't the most sociable gentleman in Hyrule, I concede."
"There is a very real danger that Link would be terribly unhappy with Zelda were he to first meet her on their wedding day. I think it would be beneficial for both of them to spend time together and get to know each other before such a momentous occasion."
'Beneficial for me…?'
"I see your point, my dear," their father admitted. "Though a rather unexpected proposal, I do believe there is merit to the idea of introducing Zelda to Link in advance. Very well; I accept your proposal. Zelda will be sent to Hateno Village to live alongside Link following the declaration of our intent to him." Hilda all but lit up.
"Father, allow me to handle the letter and timing of the situation; you certainly have more pressing matters to attend to than arranging marriages. My own duties are few and far between at the moment and I would be more than happy to aid you!"
"Thank you, Hilda. I will leave the situation in your capable hands."
"I certainly won't disappoint you, Father."
"You never have, my dear."
As Zelda meekly followed her sister down the path that led from the Sanctum back to the main hall of the Castle, she couldn't help but notice the spring in Hilda's step. Of course, she could understand her being happy that she wasn't the one being promised to Link; Hilda had long detested him and made no secret of that fact. But her happiness seemed to go even deeper than that.
"Zelda," Hilda began, slowing down and falling into step beside her. That was a surprise; she never willingly walked next to Zelda these days.
"Y-yes, Onee-sama?"
"There are things you should know about Link."
"Things…?"
"Indeed. Though he is a hero in his own right and bravely stood against the Calamity, his personality is, shall we say, complicated."
"H…how so, if I may ask?" Hilda's smile only widened further before morphing into a devilish grin.
"The first thing you'll notice are his cold, dead eyes. They gaze upon everyone and everything around him without interest or concern. It almost feels as if you're looking into the hollow eyes of a fish's corpse. But if you look too deeply, you'll start to see the truth."
Zelda remained silent, suddenly nervous at the prospect of meeting Link.
"Beneath those dead eyes is a heart made of stone and shrouded in darkness. Link cares not for a soul around him. Why else do you think he abandoned his family and moved to that wretched hellhole to the east? There, he doesn't have to pretend to be anyone's friend or loved one. He doesn't have to fake like he cares for another person in any meaningful way. He can keep to himself and close out the world around him. That is the type of man Link is."
"…I never…heard such negative opinions about him when the soldiers would gather and speak," Zelda admitted. Hilda scoffed.
"Oh, he puts on a good front, to be sure. He taught most of those soldiers in the years following the Calamity. I'll even admit that he gallantly protected my life as we approached Ganon and destroyed him together. But it's far more obvious during peacetime, my dear sister. He gazed upon me with hatred every time we made eye contact. No doubt he resented me for breathing in his presence; he must have believed it my fault he was involved in such apocalyptic affairs. After the ceremony in which Father presented us and the Champions to the Kingdom in celebration of Ganon's defeat, his eyes grew even darker when he looked at me. Truly, it made me shiver!"
'Is that…really the kind of man Link is? Someone who can strike fear into the heart of even Hilda…?' Zelda chewed her lip nervously.
"I feared for my own life once or twice; I truly worried he might cut me down where I stood. I can somewhat understand his feelings – I, too, resented my lot in life for a time. But I would never have considered murdering someone to unleash those frustrations. There was a reason I never wanted to be alone with him after we slew Ganon…"
Zelda felt a shiver of her own creep down her arms.
"I simply don't want you to be caught off guard. You are my twin sister, after all; despite your gaudy hair color and unsightly eyes, we share a nearly identical appearance. Link might see quite a bit of myself in you. So do be careful in Hateno, won't you? I'd hate for you to become the receptacle in which he deposits all of his resentment for me."
"I…will be careful…" Zelda murmured.
"Excellent! That puts my mind at ease! Besides, I'm sure the whispers that he's violently rejected each female suitor that has approached him are simply hearsay. Most gentlemen would never raise their hand against a woman of noble status, don't you agree? I wouldn't spend too much time dwelling on it; I doubt he would ever physically harm you. Though…you are quite undesirable, Zelda. Perhaps you should work on presenting yourself more properly before the week's end." Zelda's ears perked up despite the shame that filled her heart.
"The week's end…?" she repeated. Hilda looked ready to sing and dance with glee.
"Indeed! I will be sending notice to Link via letter before sunset today that you are to become his fiancé. And by the conclusion of this week, you will be on a carriage to Hateno Village to meet him!"
"T…that soon…?"
"Surely there's no problem, right Zelda? This is the first time Father has ever given you a shred of responsibility! We must act quickly to ensure that his trust in you isn't misplaced!"
"…of course, Onee-sama."
"Excellent; I'm so glad we're in agreement! Oh, and I just had a wonderful idea, too!"
"Um…would you be willing to share that idea…?"
"I'll give you a darker shade of makeup to use for your face; I hear it covers any…unsightly wounds more effectively." Zelda felt another shiver scurry down her back before settling in her stomach.
'Hilda thinks Link…will hit me? Surely that can't be; Link is a hero…right…?'
Zelda had to admit, though, she didn't know Link at all. She had only ever seen him on rare occasions and he had never been aware of her presence. He didn't seem cruel and cold from what she'd heard, but Hilda certainly knew him better. Even if this was her sister, the same sister who enjoyed tormenting her for her own joy…perhaps there was reason to trust her words. The fact that she was so giddy at the prospect must count for something…
Far more nervous now than she had been even to begin with, Zelda followed Hilda back into the main hall of Hyrule Castle, her mind racing and reeling.
The next several days passed in the blink of an eye and before she could even comprehend how fast the moment had arrived, Zelda was preparing to leave Hyrule Castle the very next morning. Hilda had giddily sent the letter informing Link of the arrangement the same day it had been decided and had since then taken to filling Zelda's mind with all the horror stories of Link she could.
Zelda felt it disrespectful to doubt a man she'd never so much as exchanged a word of greeting with but…her sister was convincing. It wasn't her words that made Zelda believe her, though – it was the tone she spoke of him with. Every time she said something particularly terrible, she could barely keep the excitement and mirth from her voice. Hilda delighted in Zelda's misery; because of that simple truth, there was no reason to think she was being dishonest.
Zelda had just finished packing her things for her departure the next day. She didn't have much, though what she did possess was rather nice; despite his negligence, her father refused to have her look unsightly when moving about the Castle. To that end, she always wore the same long, blue dress she had been gifted years ago. It still fit her well, though it was beginning to show its age in certain ways. As long as she kept those fraying threads hidden, however, she could avoid causing problems for anyone else again. Hilda had long since taken all of her other outfits, leaving her with only that singular one, and she didn't want to draw her sister's ire by needing to be presented with new clothing.
Outside of her Royal dress, Zelda also had a blue sleeping gown, a few trinkets like her comb and hair clips, and her diary. That diary was her treasure, her one escape from the reality she lived in. She didn't believe herself deserving of such a thing, but she had accepted her selfishness and weakness long ago where it was concerned – she simply couldn't bear the thought of no longer writing in her diary or losing it. Not a second time.
When Hilda ran Zelda out of their shared tower bedroom when they had turned nine, she had been forced to stay in one of the guest rooms in the Castle's east wing. But her sister, ever looking for ways to torment her, continually ensured that guests staying at the Castle were given the very room she was occupying at the time. This resulted in her having to move all her possessions – which she had more of back then – between rooms quite often. Once, Hilda had come personally to make sure she moved in time and discovered her diary by happenstance.
Zelda watched helplessly as Hilda read an entry in which she had lamented that her sister whom she loved and missed dearly treated her so viciously and cruelly. Of course, Hilda had reacted badly to such criticism and tossed the entire diary into the fire, despite the fervor with which Zelda begged her not to. That particular diary she had kept for years. Many memories of their mother were written amongst its pages, memories that had grown hazier with each year that passed.
After that, Hilda made sure Zelda could no longer call the guest rooms home. She wasn't sure where she could wind up that her sister would be happy. Eventually, she had been offered a room in the servants' wing by a particularly kind-hearted older woman named Beatrice. Though she was well aware that the Crown Princess would punish her if she caught her treating Zelda kindly, she did so anyway. It was one of the only times in her life Zelda had been moved to tears from someone's kindness. All others were courtesy of the memories she held of her mother.
Luckily, Hilda refused to set foot in the servants' wing even if it were to save her own life, so Zelda was mostly left to herself at night and never had to move rooms again. She could even keep secret her new diary that she started keeping shortly after settling into the space. But shortly thereafter, Hilda had announced if her sister was going to live amongst the servants than she would be treated as one. Since then, Zelda had been made to wait hand and foot on Hilda from sunrise to sunset every single day. Their father said nothing when he discovered the arrangement.
Zelda sighed as she sat down in her bed. It was decent – the Royal Family made sure their servants were taken care of. They didn't live in squalor and filth, though of course their rooms were a far cry from the extravagant tower Hilda looked down upon them from. It was also the only place Zelda ever let herself relax. Every other place in the Castle, it was possible that her sister might demand her presence or attention. Here in the dead of night, though, she was as isolated from Hilda as she would have been were she on the other side of the world.
Zelda set about writing in her diary once more, careful not to spill any ink upon the bedding. She had once made that mistake when she was younger and had caused more work for her kind neighbors the next day. She didn't want to repeat that error on her last night with them.
Fifteenth Moon of the Eleventh Month.
Tonight marks my last evening at Hyrule Castle. As I have written in my previous entries, I have been promised as Link's fiancé. Though his legacy indicates a wonderful and honorable man, Hilda's constant cautioning that he is in fact a cold, hateful person is starting to get to me.
I am well aware that I deserve my sister's ire. Because of me, the responsibility to save Hyrule fell on her shoulders alone. However, because I trust that she would never sincerely be worried for my wellbeing, the fact that she continually warns me to expect the worst where Link is concerned likely means that she is excited by the prospect of my misery at his hands.
She has told me stories she learned from noblewomen who were rejected by the Goddess's chosen hero. If they are to be believed, Link took great pleasure in delivering scathing remarks about their appearances and personalities before dismissing them from his sight forevermore. Hilda even claims that one woman confided in her that Link struck her across the face before slamming his door, leaving her alone and with nowhere to go in the middle of the night.
I do not wish to believe such awful stories without meeting the person in question. And yet I find myself shivering when I think of meeting Link at all. Despite the difficulties of my life here at the Castle, Hilda has never raised her hand to strike me. Perhaps she thinks it beneath her status or perhaps I'm simply not worth striking. But to imagine the greatest swordsman in all the land despising me enough to hit me fills me with terror.
Though I admit I recoil at the thought of the pain a trained warrior might be able to inflict upon me, that he might see fit to strike me doesn't much concern me. I am well aware of the fact that I am a failure. I am likely the greatest failure to ever be born to the Royal Family of Hyrule. I have no ability to utilize Sealing magic the way my sister does, I have no abnormal intelligence when it comes to the technology of the ancient Sheikah the way Purah does, and my appearance is unremarkable at best.
Despite the fact that we are twins, Hilda likes to remind me of that fact rather often and though I once believed she was wrong as a child, I have come to both accept and believe this to be the truth as I've gotten older. My unnatural golden hair must be repulsive to those who have to look upon it from the outside and I've been told so many times that my eyes are a shade of green closer to sewage than to any gemstone.
That aside, it is the idea that I might be unable to fulfill my own role as the Second Princess of Hyrule that terrifies me far more deeply than the prospect of Link resorting to physical violence with me. Father has never asked anything of me since learning that I could not wield Sealing magic like Hilda. He all but ignores my existence. That he has tasked me with tying Link to the Royal Family is shocking but understandable given my sister's incredibly strong feelings on the issue. But were I to fail in this singular task, the only thing Father has asked of me in more than a decade, I feel as though my life would be so purposeless that I might as well simply end it myself.
I am prepared to be greeted with cold hatred when I meet Link tomorrow. If I am able to serve him well enough that he doesn't reject me, that will be enough. Someone like me doesn't deserve happiness anyway, not after failing in my responsibilities for most of my life. I do not expect to smile at Link's home. I only expect myself to finally be good enough to achieve something, anything, for my Kingdom. No matter what abuses the chosen hero might heap upon my unworthy self, I shall bear them as I always have. Though my heart exists now in a state of ribbons, I will pull it together again for sake of this arrangement. I will be strong and endure all manner of hardship so that I may finally be of use to Father and Hilda.
And if, despite my best efforts, Link chooses to throw me bodily from his home the way so many others have claimed he has done to them, then perhaps that will be my signal to seriously question whether my existence has any merit whatsoever. I doubt anyone would miss me were I gone.
Only Urbosa, perhaps.
Zelda.
Zelda found herself riding along in the modest carriage that had been prepared for her that morning. Her sister had claimed its plain nature and lack of accompanying soldiers was to avoid attracting the attention of any bandits or vagabonds who might try to rob a Royal caravan. It would also keep the eyes of the Yiga off of her for the duration of her journey. But those weren't her true motivations. While all of that was indeed something to be aware of, Hilda never rode in anything less than their finest coach, flanked by expert military personnel. She just didn't think her sister was worth the same procession. Zelda didn't either.
She had awakened that morning at the usual time, hurrying to Hilda's tower to prepare her outfit for the day as she had been expected to do for more than ten years now. Hilda had given Zelda one last piece of giddy advice – Link was especially prone to frustration when the topic of the Royal Family came up. She should tread carefully around that topic, Hilda had explained, barely keeping the bright smile off her face. After that, she had been sent alone to the Castle gates where her coachman for the day awaited her. Nobody had been there to send her off.
As the carriage trundled along, Zelda peeked through the curtains that obscured her windows. They were journeying towards Dueling Peaks currently, the rolling green hills of Hyrule passing by relatively quickly. The journey would take upwards of the entire day, resulting in her arriving at Hateno Village just as the sun set. Would Link already be upset with the lateness of the hour she appeared on his doorstep? Hilda had claimed the hero was expecting her at sundown today as per her second correspondence with him, but perhaps his acceptance of the timing wasn't indicative of his real feelings.
As a merchant on horseback galloped past her window in the other direction, she wondered briefly if that was how most people traveled around the Kingdom. For someone who had spent almost her entire life trapped inside Hyrule Castle, she was deeply unfamiliar with customs of the common man. Would Link think her arrogant as a result? Uneducated? Revolting? There was no purpose in dwelling on such uncertainties – she would have her answer in several hours more.
The coachman had explained that they would stop at the stable just east of Dueling Peaks to make sure his horse was in good shape before making the final leg of the journey. She had never been to a stable before. What was it like? Would she enjoy her time there? Did she even deserve to?
As it turned out, the stable was quite pleasant. The sights and sounds were entirely new to her, the building was quaint, and the horses as majestic as ever. She found herself secretly desiring to ride one but buried that selfish thought as deep as she could. She had done nothing in her lifetime to earn such privileges.
The men and women that frequented that stable were all Hylian, though she did see a member of the Sheikah tribe slowly making his way back up the large hill that led to Kakariko Village. She briefly wondered if Impa, former advisor to the Royal Family, was okay. After Ganon had been defeated, Hilda had embarrassed the girl in front of all the noblemen and women before cruelly dismissing her from her role, citing her desire for someone more knowledgeable and worldly. The truth, however, was that Impa had always been respectful and kind towards Zelda and gone out of her way to treat her well…even though she didn't deserve it. That, of course, incensed Hilda.
Soon, Zelda and her coachman resumed their journey to Hateno. As the carriage continued along the path towards the large fort that awaited them to the east, she realized just how easy it really would be for bandits to attack. A group of them could ride out of the alcoves just past the fort and surround them, pulling weapons and demanding all their Rupees and possessions. Zelda didn't really have much with her, though. Would they just kill the two of them in the end if they didn't get enough of what they wanted? Would it really matter if they did…?
Zelda shook her head and sighed.
'It isn't right for me to lump the coachman in with me. He probably has a lover – a wonderful wife who cares deeply for him. Maybe they've even started a family together. He looks relatively young; perhaps a newborn child waits for him at home. If we really were attacked by bandits, would he be okay? I would gladly give myself for his sake if it really came down to it…I cannot bear the idea of standing by and watching someone innocent get hurt even if I really couldn't do anything about it…
Despite the nervous, uneasy feeling she now harbored in her stomach, no bandits attacked their carriage. Nobody even waved to them as they passed, at least not that she saw from the secluded interior. And after a few more uneventful hours, the sun sinking low against the horizon, she felt the coach slowly come to a stop. It appeared they had arrived in Hateno at last.
Exiting the carriage, the coachman leapt down to the ground before collecting her one bag from the luggage area. He gave her a warm smile before gesturing to it.
"May I help you carry your bag to wherever it is you're going, miss?" Hilda hadn't informed him that his passenger was the Second Princess of Hyrule, of course, so she had said nothing herself. To him, she was just another guest departing the Castle.
'I don't deserve any special treatment when I've never done a single thing to earn my title, anyway…'
"That's…okay. I can handle it from here," she managed, forcing a smile towards him.
"If you're certain. I hope you had a nice ride today."
"I did…thank you." Zelda hadn't enjoyed a pleasant exchange in so long. It felt genuinely strange to hear words that didn't make her feel worthless and hated.
The coachman clambered back atop his seat and soon he and his horse drawn carriage were disappearing around the bend in the road, heading back from whence they'd come. She idly wondered if he would stay the night at the stable from earlier. She shook herself from her daze and turned, lifting the bag of her personal effects into her arms. It wasn't very heavy…
As she made her way up the short hill leading to the young farming village, Zelda noticed the abundance of nature that currently surrounded her. Thickets of large trees lined the path, deer, boar, and other wildlife darting between bushes as she passed. She waved to a timid yet curious little creature that was gazing warily at her but all that resulted in was it turning tail and bounding away. She would likely have done the same were their roles reversed. Would her life be more enjoyable that way?
As she crested the top of the hill, her eyes fell upon Hateno Village at long last. It was a very new community, she had been made aware, having only cropped up within the last five years after the defeat of the Calamity. There were few buildings in town. Two looked like stores, one for clothing and one for groceries if the signs were any indication. Something that looked to be a restaurant sat atop one of the far-off hills and what she could only assume was an inn stood opposite it. Aside from those, every other building seemed to be a simple house. They dotted the hillside sparsely. It didn't look to be a very populated area.
As she approached the small sign that marked the entrance to town, a man with a spear turned towards her, eyeing her with interest. No doubt her rather lavish blue dress stood out incredibly when compared to the simple farming attire he wore. She didn't have time to dwell on the disparity, though; Zelda felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed upon the weapon. She didn't like weapons. Perhaps it was childish, but they scared her.
"Hope I didn't spook you, miss," the man called out, waving good-naturedly as he stuck the point of his weapon into the dirt at his feet. "We don't have much cause to defend this place from threats, but I was taught to never stand guard without my spear." Zelda took a quick breath and tried to calm down. It only worked so well.
"Of…course. I understand."
"Now, can I help you with anything this fine evening? We don't usually get visitors this late. Are you looking for someone or someplace in particular?"
"O-oh. Um, actually, I am. I'm here…to see Link." The man frowned.
"Link, huh? I don't have a problem with that, but…he tends to prefer keeping to himself. Just fair warning if he's a little quiet."
"I…wouldn't normally impose. But he's…expecting me." The guard gave her a friendly smile.
"Then I'm sure he'll be happy to see you; don't pay any mind to my ramblings, miss. If you take the first path on the right and follow it across the bridge, you'll be at Link's house in no time. He's already gone home for the evening so no chance you'll miss him."
"I see. Thank you…for your assistance."
"Course! Can I carry your bag to his door for you?" Zelda shook her head quickly.
"N-no thank you. I can manage myself." He gave her a smile and nodded.
"Understood. Anyway, you should get there before it gets too dark to see; I don't want you slipping off the bridge or anything like that."
"Oh! Um, right, I'll hurry along then."
"Nice meeting you, miss."
"You as well."
As the conversation had continued on, Zelda was able to find her voice a bit easier. It wasn't as if she struggled in conversation because she never spoke to anyone; it was mostly due to the fact that she spent most of her time in Hilda's company and her sister had impressed upon her years and years ago that she never wanted to hear Zelda's voice without speaking to her directly first. It was a hard habit to break after all this time.
Zelda followed the path the guard had described and soon found herself at the bridge he'd spoken of. It wasn't precarious at all – the craftsmanship was solid and the edges were properly protected with sturdy rope. But still, if she had lost her footing in the dark, it would have been incredibly easy to fall over those ropes and into the river far below. Would she even survive such a fall? She shook her head and did her best not to think about it.
Arriving at the door to a sizeable house, Zelda took a deep, steadying breath. This was it – this was the beginning of the next chapter of her life. Would it last for a few short pages or markedly longer? She had no idea. All she wanted to do was finally live up to expectations.
'Nobody has any faith in me and rightly so. But I want to prove that I can be useful too. That my life…isn't a complete waste.'
The Second Princess of Hyrule knocked on the door once, twice, three times. She felt herself shiver once again. Despite the fact that it was becoming quite cold at night as winter set upon Hyrule, she was dressed rather appropriately in her Royal gown. She wasn't shivering from the brisk evening air. Though she was loathe to admit it, she was scared.
Scared to meet Link. Scared to be rejected by him. Scared he might treat her cruelly. Scared he might despise her. Scared she might fail the only important task she'd been given in years. Scared she was useless. Scared she was worthless. Scared. Scared. Scared…
The doorway before her began to open, causing her to gasp in surprise. As it swung open, her eyes fell upon the young man on the other side. Zelda had seen Link from a distance before, but this was the first time she had ever had the opportunity to take in his appearance properly.
His features were more delicate than she had expected. His bright, blue eyes were the first thing she noticed. They were piercing and yet harbored an indelible softness, almost the exact opposite of her sister's. They looked so far from the dead, hollow eyes Hilda had described that she was almost startled.
His sandy hair fell messily across his forehead, the length of it pulled back into a ponytail. His cheekbones and jawline weren't all that sharp, instead giving his face a gentle look that belied his fearsome strength. Conversely, his chin and ears were well defined, an elegance to his appearance that drew her in almost effortlessly.
'He's…such a beautiful person…'
"You look so much like Hilda it seems ridiculous to ask, but are you Zelda-sama?" he asked, his voice much softer than she'd expected. It was as if it were threaded from the finest silk.
"I, um…I am. You don't…have to address me formally that way. I am your fiancé, after all," she managed, averting her eyes. Link studied her for a moment before extending his hand.
"Understood then, Zelda. Please, let me take your bag."
"O-oh, I don't…mind handling it myself." Link watched her for several seconds more before withdrawing again.
"If that makes you more comfortable. Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" Zelda was a little surprised that these were his first questions to her.
"I…haven't had dinner, no."
"I was just about to prepare my own; I'll make enough for you too." Zelda felt her eyes widen and almost panicked.
"Um, I don't, rather…you don't have to…go so far out of your way for me…"
"You're hungry, right? It's no trouble." She hesitated for a long moment before he spoke again. "Now please, come in; you must be cold."
"T…thank you."
As Link stepped aside and beckoned her into his home, she was stricken by a strange feeling.
'He's not being cruel at all. Perhaps he's a little unapproachable but…could everyone else have been wrong about him? Perhaps I don't yet know him well enough to see the side that Hilda warned me of but…he seems so kind.'
Zelda took a calming breath before accepting his invitation and crossing the threshold, her nerves abating just the slightest amount.
8/14/2023
Post-Chapter Note: Thank you all for reading the first installment of my latest story! A few notes about the chapter first and then I'll set some reliable expectations that I'll do my best to meet for everyone going forward, including myself!
Hilda is, of course, based off of the character in A Link Between Worlds, though obviously she's meant to look like Wild Era Zelda in this case. I don't hate her character or anything in ALBW, but she was the obvious choice for a heinous sister to place opposite sweet Zelda. Rhoam is...well he's not that out of character even in this invented universe I don't think LOL (says the guy who just wrote a huge chapter trying to redeem his relationship with Zelda in my other story...)
I tried something a little different by implying certain clues about the history of this particular interpretation of Wild Era Hyrule rather than just come right out and have a character monologue about their past. Let me know if it worked well enough that you're invested or if it was annoying enough that now you're confused about things. I know what's going to happen so I can fill in the pieces even when I haven't revealed everything yet, but sometimes it's hard to know if I'm being mysterious/intriguing or just outright confusing. I certainly hope I managed the former, but please do tell me if it feels like the latter to you.
Also, some characters have very vague introductions or understandings purposefully but I promise you'll get more soon. One other thing worth mentioning is that this entire story won't strictly be told from Zelda's perspective alone, but the first two chapters likely will be before we jump around a little more. I have lots of plans for this story and I'm very excited to share them all with you going forward, including our different POVs and the way we get inside everyone's heads.
Finally, some extra housekeeping things! First, I tend to write very long chapters as some of you might already know. I don't dislike doing this and, in fact, sometimes I think it serves me and those who read my stories quite well. I can fit a lot of content within a singular update and it gives my readers a nice, long chapter to sink their teeth into and digest while I write another one. But obviously this takes more time than to write something shorter. So for this story, I want to try my hand at writing somewhat shorter chapters a bit more frequently. This chapter clocks in right around 9K words as opposed to the usual average of 13K-15K (sometimes even 17K...) that I tend to hit. I'd like to aim for that length consistently, which is still nice and substantial I think, but shoot for that word count and update this story weekly. With my previous story, I was updating *usually* every 10-11 days, but that feels like quite a large gap to me in terms of remembering the through lines and motivations of characters. I've also tried this kind of schedule with my very first DBZ fic I wrote and I eventually started to burn myself out writing way too much on a weekly schedule. So I think this will strike a nice balance between amount of content I want to post and consistency of when I post it!
I know myself, though, and I'm well aware that when I come up with a new story idea I'm deeply invested in (like this one), I tend to write a LOT very quickly. There's a decent chance that Chapter 2 goes up by like...Wednesday lol, but all that is to say it might happen in less than a week this time. So let me see how long that initial fire lasts and from there I'll pick a good day of the week to update consistently so everyone can count on it and come back at the same time every week for more! Likely it'll be Friday or Saturday so everyone can enjoy it on the weekend, but I'll let you know for sure soon. I've also found that having a consistent update day helps me structure my weeks better and keeps me writing consistently, something I really enjoy! So this will work out nicely for all of us, I hope.
Anyway, I think that's all I have to say for now! Thank you so very much for reading yet another story of mine. I have quite a few arcs and chapters planned and I hope you'll come along for the ride with me! I'm very excited to share what I have in store with you! But for now, take care everyone and I'll see you in the next one!