Chapter 32 - Inexperience
Summary: Zelda invites Mipha and Link to dinner to meet her boyfriend, Royce.
The light of the late-morning sun that peeked past a cloud and onto Queen Zelda's office desk was a welcome distraction from work. It made her look up from her reading and stare out the window, taking a moment to admire the beautiful land of Hyrule.
Zelda's office stood atop one of the castle spires, and only the center bell tower was taller. But the bell tower did not greatly diminish the view; you could see quite far in every direction. And as though she were looking through a kaleidoscope, each location in the distance held memories of youthful travel and past adventures. Now fate had made all of this vast land her responsibility.
Learning how to rule Hyrule had been no easy task, and she had come to admire how well her father, King Rhoam, must have managed it. She wished she had come into the role better prepared - had more time for instruction to help her transition into leadership. But losing her mother at six and her father the day she turned seventeen meant their crucial mentorship had gone missing during the most formative years of her life. She had never dreamed of becoming Hyrule's ruler at such a young age. Thank Hylia that she at least had Impa, Link, and Mipha to lean on for help back then.
In the early days of her reign, she was probably as nervous as those she dealt with. Guilt still washed over her because of what happened. And that prompted her to search for signs that she was being judged for failing to prevent that terrible calamity. She also felt uncertain of herself, second-guessing whether she was making the best decisions. While her trepidation may have gone unnoticed by others, she certainly felt the strain of her inexperience. Of course, one reason that people may not have noticed was that she was hardly alone in that respect. Almost everyone she dealt with was inexperienced since most of her father's staff and Hyrule's army had died in the incident.
But now she had a brighter outlook on life.
For one thing, she had grown more comfortable in her role as ruler. Not that there weren't still things to learn, but she had experienced ministers, officers, and castle staff to look after things now, and running a kingdom didn't need to consume all her efforts. And she had also come to terms with her guilt. She no longer needed to busy herself with work to keep her distracted from reliving the past or to avoid sleeping and the terrible nightmares that used to afflict her. She could make time for a much-needed personal life now, too.
But today was a day of mixed emotions for her. On the one hand, she had to focus on her work, but tonight was an event that she had been anticipating for some time now. She had invited her closest friends, Link and Mipha, to join her in the castle for dinner with Royce—the person she had fallen in love with. It would be the first time her two worlds were meeting, and it made her stomach flutter in anticipation and worry.
She held Mipha's and Link's opinions in high regard, as they always looked out for her best interests. She knew all too well how distrustful you must be when entering any relationship, especially for her. There were always people who wanted to take advantage of the position marrying her brought along with it.
But she didn't think Royce was at all like that, and he seemed completely sincere to her. If anything, far from being pushy, Royce was so deferential and proper to her at first that she wasn't sure how truly interested in her he was. They had grown closer slowly and naturally over time, gradually becoming comfortable in each other's company and later their romance. And in truth, Royce was an amazing person to be with. He set her heart ablaze and told her she did the same to his.
But they say love is blind, and she had to admit her romantic experience had been pretty lacking until now. So having Mipha and Link meet Royce couldn't hurt. It was usually customary to introduce a potential partner to one's parents before taking a step further, but since this wasn't possible for her, Mipha and Link would do just fine. She wondered what their thoughts about him would be.
Shaking her head to clear the thoughts from her mind, she muttered to herself, "Back to work." Her ministers said she needed to review and sign off on a few important documents.
Meanwhile, in Zora's Domain, Mipha, Link, and their two children were about to eat lunch in their house by Mikau Lake. The air was filled with the lingering aroma of a freshly cooked Hearty Bass seasoned with Goron spice as Link brought his food to the table and sat down to join the others.
"That's a huge fish, sweetheart," said Mipha as she eyed the plump fish overflowing his plate. "Maybe you shouldn't fill up on it and save room for the dinner tonight? I'm sure Zelda will serve some Hylian dishes you love."
"Aww, are you getting tired of fish, Dad?" Raypha asked teasingly.
"No, never. I can never get tired of fish, sweetheart," said Link with a chuckle. "I've come to love fish more than anything."
"I'm sure that makes Mom happy to hear that," said Raypha.
"But some other food might be a welcome change," Link continued. "Trust me, though - I'm sure I can manage this fish and tonight's dinner too."
"I guess we should all learn to trust in your appetite, dearest," laughed Mipha. "You were always famous for it. Just remember you're not burning calories adventuring with Zelda or me as you used to."
"The way you and our dear children have me energetically swimming every day, plus other things we do together sweetheart, I'm pretty sure I'm burning up more calories," laughed Link, who then took another bite of fish.
"Other things you do together?" asked Raypha, making Mipha laugh and Link blush. "What a terrible way of expressing it!"
"Speaking of meals, what did you and Zelda do when you adventured together, Dad?" said Tidon, eager to change the subject. "You never talk much about those times."
Link had to swallow before answering.
"What did we do?"
"Ti meant about meals, Dad," said Raypha. "Or is your mind still on other things you do, and you have something juicier to tell us."
"If so, I'm eager to hear about it as well," laughed Mipha.
"Is this pick on Link Day or something? You two are both very funny, and our dear daughter is getting too worldly too fast," laughed Link. "But there's nothing much to tell. If it were a short trip, Her Highness would eat upon her return to the castle, and I would find my own meal."
"But what about longer trips, Dad, like all day or overnight?" said Raypha.
"It depended," said Link. "Sometimes, if we were visiting one of the villages, Zelda would have a lunch meeting with the ruler while I mingled with others. But of course, there were times we ate together, like at stables that we stopped at along the way."
"Did you cook for her then, Dad?" asked Tidon.
"Sometimes and sometimes not," said Link. "It depended on her mood and what food we had between us. Zelda wasn't helpless, you know. She took pride in being independent and was perfectly capable of preparing her own meals. If it was breakfast, I usually made it. I was good at preparing an omelet, though sometimes I had to scrounge up some eggs. But for dinner, either of us might cook."
"That's where your dear dad began to enjoy meals prepared by a princess," teased Mipha. "It just shows how spoiled he was."
"I give up," laughed Link after finishing his last bite of fish.
"Here, Ti and I will clean up," said Raypha as everyone stood. "So now you and Mom can go do something together, Dad."
"Thanks, Raypha. You are so thoughtful. But I think a light swim would suffice," laughed Mipha. "It's not good to be idle after such a big meal."
Mipha and Link made their way out the door and waded into Mikau Lake.
"At Zelda's dinner tonight, from the sound of her invitation, it feels like we're acting as parents and interviewing a potential husband," Link remarked. "I have absolutely no experience doing something like that."
"I obviously don't either. But think of it as practice for when it's our turn to vet a spouse for one of our children," Mipha replied with a smile.
"Well, given how far off that day is, I doubt I'll …," he began before realizing his blunder. "Sorry, never mind."
But the harm was already done.
"You certainly know how to dry up the mood, don't you?" said Mipha as Link noticed tears pooling in her eyes. "Not another word about that, Link, do you understand?"
"Yes, my love. I'm really sorry. I didn't think it through. As usual."
He inwardly cursed himself for bringing up the one thing guaranteed to make Mipha cry.
After a moment, Mipha composed herself and reached for Link's hand, squeezing it tightly as she said, "Some water time should help me feel better. Come on, let's swim up the falls together."
Link caressed her hand before leaning forward and whispering, "A kiss first? I think you once told me it's a Zora custom."
Mipha smiled at the memory, how she used to trick him into extra kisses, and they kissed while Link tenderly caressed the back of her head. Mipha felt a warmth spread through her body as her mood lightened. They stayed that way for a few moments, Link hoping Mipha would feel better, until she pulled away and whispered, "Come on, let's go…"
Hand in hand, they swam up the falls together.
Meanwhile, Royce had carefully combed his hair and donned his best suit for the special occasion. He checked himself in the mirror at his apartment in the academy building adjoining the Royal Ancient Tech Lab. It was common for unmarried instructors to live in the academy building, and his living arrangements were convenient for teaching or when he and Zelda found time to meet. He had to admit his nerves were on edge when he thought about meeting with Zelda's good friends—the esteemed hero of Hyrule and one of the legendary Champions. Although he was merely a science teacher, Royce knew what was in his heart: he loved Zelda deeply. He would do his very best to show them all that tonight.
When he felt ready, he left, and as he approached the banquet hall before it was time for them all to meet up, he found Zelda already there waiting for him. She wore her elegant royal blue dress with gold trim and looked lovely in it.
They embraced and kissed, then Royce nervously asked, "Did I keep you waiting, sweetheart? Am I late?"
Zelda laughed cheerfully. "No darling, I know you well enough to expect you to be early, so I came early too!"
"You look gorgeous," Royce complimented her. "I'm nervous, though… You've already told me stories about how magnificent your two friends are. I mean, Link and Mipha are legends—not people that you casually have dinner with. I have no experience socializing with such people, and I hope I don't make a bad impression on them."
"Trust me," Zelda said reassuringly. "They are the nicest people you could ever imagine—unless you're a creature of darkness. Then they'll be your worst nightmare."
Royce chuckled as he held her hand tightly. "Well, sweetheart, I hope you know I'm no creature of darkness. So, I should be fine. I love you."
"I love you, too. Come, let's sit down, and you should drink some water to calm yourself," said Zelda.
A few minutes later, the Royal Guard ushered Link and Mipha into the banquet hall. Link wore his clean and polished Zora armor, and Mipha her elegant Zora jewelry.
"Am I late for dinner?" Link asked with a smile as he and Mipha approached them, and Zelda and Royce stood up in response.
"No way," laughed Zelda. "You haven't been late for a meal yet, Link. Your record is still intact."
Mipha smiled as she and Zelda embraced, "Hi, Zelda! You look gorgeous!"
Zelda gave her a hug back and said, "You look ravishing and ageless as always, Mipha."
Link stepped forward and embraced Zelda as well.
"It's really nice to see you again, Zelda," he said. "You're looking very well."
"You do too, Link," she replied, smiling after they separated. "I think you may even have lost some weight."
Link gave Mipha a smirk, who shrugged off his look, then turned back to Zelda and Royce.
"This is Royce," Zelda added, gesturing towards him with her arm by way of introduction.
Royce shook both their hands warmly and said, "It's a pleasure meeting both of you."
Link nodded his head enthusiastically. "Likewise, and I hope we can get to know each other better."
"I'd like that," said Royce.
"Oh, we brought some Mighty Bananas for dessert for anyone who might like fruit instead," said Link as he removed some from his satchel and placed them on a side table. "How do you feel about them, Royce?"
Link watched Royce for his reaction but saw nothing to concern him.
"I like most fruit but am not especially crazy about Mighty Bananas," said Royce. "Why do you ask, Link?"
"No reason, just good to know," said Link. "I'll just leave them there for later."
Once they settled in their seats, the servers started bringing out the meal's first course, a delicious vegetable soup.
"I asked the kitchen to have fresh fish available for you, Mipha," said Zelda.
"Thank you, Zelda," said Mipha. "That's perfect."
"And Mipha tells me you're passionate about fish now, too, Link," said Zelda. "So we also have a nice fish dish ready for you."
"Well, um, I do love fish, Zelda, but I am also open to other dishes," said Link as he could hear Mipha chuckling. "Are there any other choices?"
"Yes, we also have the Seared Steak I know you like," laughed Zelda. "We can have that prepared for you instead."
"Um, yes, just for the variety, if you don't mind, Zelda," said Link.
"I'll eat the fish you were planning to serve Link if he doesn't want it," said Royce. "I'm quite fond of seafood."
"I like Royce already," Mipha joked, making everyone laugh.
"I understand you teach science, Royce," said Link. "You enjoy that?"
"Yes, very much," said Royce. "I've been interested in science since childhood, and I think the future of our kingdom depends on it. Also, our mutual interest in science brought Zelda and I together. So science has been critical in my life."
"Zelda, you have known Royce for some time now?" Mipha asked.
"Yes, longer than you might think," said Zelda. "I didn't mention it to anyone right away."
"It's been almost a year now, right, sweetheart?" said Royce.
"Eleven months and fourteen days," said Zelda. "That's correct."
Mipha and Link exchanged a smile, then continued with their meal.
The rest of the conversation went well, and both Mipha and Link felt good about Royce. He was thoughtful, polite, and considerate. And clearly had strong feelings for Zelda. It was getting late by the time they finished some Royal Fruitcake for dessert.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Royce," said Link as he and Mipha prepared to leave.
"It was a pleasure and honor meeting you both as well," said Royce as he shook Link's hand and then Mipha's.
"And the meal was delicious, Zelda, especially that Seared Steak," Link added, smacking his lips. "My mouth waters just thinking about it."
Zelda and Mipha exchanged a smile, then Zelda spoke up.
"Well, I think you should savor that memory, Link," Zelda laughed. "Because I think you'll be eating fish for a long time from now on."
"Yes, you got that right, Zelda," laughed Mipha.
"Let me walk you two to the door and see you off. Royce, I won't be long, just a few minutes."
"Of course, sweetheart," said Royce.
Zelda accompanied Link and Mipha to the castle entrance before turning to them with a question.
"Well? What do you both think of Royce?"
"He looks great, Zelda," Mipha said. "I can tell he loves you by looking into his eyes. Not only that, but he is really cute for a Hylian! I say trust your heart, Zelda."
"Thank you, Mipha," Zelda exclaimed with relief in her voice. "And what about you, Link? What do you think?"
"Well, I don't know," said Link, shaking his head. "I don't think he eats enough."
"What?"
"I'm teasing you, Zelda," laughed Link. "Seriously, I didn't notice anything bad about him. If you both are in love with each other, then I'm sure nothing bad will come out of it. "
Thank you, Link: that makes me feel better." sighed Zelda. "I value your opinion very much."
"As for the Mighty Banana test," Zelda added with a smile, "I already tested him, Link, and he's not part of the Yiga Clan!"
"Oh, good!" Link said with relief. "I just wanted to make sure. You can never be too careful. Well, Mipha and I should be off."
"Yes, I'm sure my father and brother have their fins full watching our two dear children," added Mipha. "They're getting so big."
Link embraced Zelda as Mipha also hugged her goodbye before they started their journey home.
"So, what's the verdict, sweetheart?" said Royce as Zelda returned to the banquet hall.
"It was bad news," she joked with a smirk on her face as she rushed into his arms and kissed him passionately. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me!"
"Lucky me!" Royce said between kisses. "But what was this thing about Mighty Bananas? That seemed to come out of nowhere."
"Don't worry," Zelda said, laughing. "You passed with flying colors."
