CHAPTER 4

King Kaito went from dining alone most of the time to dining now with three royal guests. The conversation was on a lighter subject. Mazu mentioned she was planning on leaving with her guards in the morning, that Noden was staying with the refugees. Her plan was to head back to join her husband despite the fact that he wanted her to stay. They got off the subject of war to mostly talk about queen Mazu and her relationship with Ruto's father King Zora De Bon XVI, and their friendship as kids. Mazu originally came from a domain closer to Hyrule. One that was destroyed by mermaids after she had already left the domain to get married.

Since the subject of marriage came up. Mazu nudged Noden, "Maybe you should follow Ruto when she gets resettled. I'm sure she would be looking to get married once her territory is staked."

Noden snapped back, "Mother will you please stop trying to get me married off. You have another son y'know, one who is engaged!"

Ruto looked down at her food to hide her smile. She found the whole thing amusing but didn't want to suggest she was interested by making eye contact while smiling. She didn't remember throwing sand in Prince Nodens face, but he did, and was clearly still a bit bitter about it.

Mazu got defensive, "I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you to end up alone."

"I'm fine, mother. Besides, why would Ruto want to marry a prince when she could marry a king." Noden said as he gestured towards Kaito.

With Ruto's suspicion of Kaitos' crush, she glanced up from her food to look at his face and found herself giggling as quietly as she could at how red he had turned. It was remarkable, because his skin tone was already fairly red. Since Ruto was sitting next to him, she could see it quite clearly.

Mazu turned her attention to him, "Oh that's true. Kaito, have you thought about trying to get married again? There is an old saying, three times a charm. You should get yourself out there again."

Kaito stammered through his words. "I uh… don't think…well...she… uh…"

Ruto ended up cutting him off. "I wouldn't necessarily say no if he asked. However there is a very specific prenuptial condition I would need to discuss with him before I say yes. One I would prefer to discuss privately."

Kaito looked surprised, he didn't think she had considered the idea.

Queen Mazus' eyes closed halfway, "Ah making sure you get something out of it. Clever. Good on you. You want us to leave dinner early to talk about it?"

"Absolutely not." Ruto said, "It can wait until you are settled in for the night. In fact I insist on waiting until then. I'm enjoying the stories you were telling about my father. Do you know how he met my mom? He was always vague about that."

Queen Mazus' eyes lit up. "I do, she was a close friend of mine, she was."

As Mazu went on with her story Kaito found his head racing. What could Ruto possibly want from him in order to say yes. The fact that she even thought about it was a surprise. Was there something she wanted that he wouldn't give to get married?

"Let's talk in the parlor," Ruto said when they finished dinner.

Ruto was standing across the room staring out the window until he entered. Kaito sat down on one of the chairs, when he sat down she began. "Hyrule has gone through many ages of tragedy. I have put my life on the line to save my people, I would do it again without hesitation. If I were to marry you, or anyone for that matter, they would need to have that same dedication. I didn't risk my life just to lose them for love. I've had my heart broken in order to save them once, don't think for a moment that I wouldn't do it again. No matter how much I love someone, I will break my heart if it means saving them. I will leave if…." She started to trail off. Then started again. "If we got married my people would need to be citizens, not just refugees. They would need your dedication to them. Of course your people would be mine now as well, and I would give them my dedication in return. I wouldn't expect this to be one way, but they aren't the ones on the run at the moment."

Kaito seemed surprised, "Is that it?"

Ruto nodded, "I realize with someone of your wealth and resources this task probably feels trivial. Understand though, that even if something were to happen to that wealth, I still expect this promise to be fulfilled."

He stared blankly for a moment then Ruto spoke again,"Do you have any conditions for me?"

He was stunned by her question since he hadn't thought about it. He almost said no, since he just wanted to marry her, but a thought occurred to him.

"If I do this for you, how do you feel about eloping? We can have a ceremony to represent our marriage after the war, but for now, to just enter the legal contract, just to have that, and I will make your people citizens."

Ruto didn't actually expect him to have an answer to her question, but saw the terms as reasonable. Kaito did deal with two rejections and likely just needed the follow through. The sapphire stones were exchanged and he said he would arrange everything for tomorrow night.

Queen Mazu decided to stay one more night when she heard about the elopement. Kaito did need witnesses. Technically only needing two, but besides having Mazu and Noden present, he also invited Muir and Nehir to come. He figured they would want to be there for her for this.

She spent the following morning with Meir and Nehir. Mid-afternoon before the ceremony they ran into Noden. Noden wanted to apologize for being a little cold towards her at the beginning. He just didn't have good memories of her when he met her and found it a little hard to look past that seeing her now. He also wanted to apologize for his mom prying. "She means well, but doesn't understand that when I say I'm not in a rush to marry, it's largely because I don't feel the need to settle down with anyone. I'm a minor prince anyway, why should it matter if I marry for love instead of politics."

Ruto smiled at that, "It's fine, your mom's prying did prompt Kaitos proposal afterall."

He smiled. "I heard. Congratulations on that. My mom is actually staying another night because she was asked to be a formal witness. That's another reason I'm here. You have friends I'm supposed to make sure get the invitation."

He then asked about her entourage. She explained the situation about them being her former guards assigned to her in Hyrule and how she just had them watch over the refugees to report back if there wasn't anything on the up and up. She then explained they were also the friends Kaito was referring to.

Muir and Nehir were excited about the news. They weren't formal witnesses but still wanted to see this.

"Do you know if there is anything we are supposed to wear" Nehir asked

"Oh yeah I didn't bring anything of that nature with me from Hyrule so I may need to borrow something if he is expecting that." Ruto added.

"I'll ask the King, I need to let him know I delivered the message anyway. Um, Ruto, what's your male guard's name again?"

"His name is Muir, why?" Ruto responded.

"Can I borrow Muir for the rest of the day? I could use the company to help me with my errands" Noden replied.

"Of course" Ruto said, "You heard all that right, Muir?"

"Yes and I am only too happy to oblige your Majesty." Muir responded enthusiastically.

At some point Noden returned and was able to confirm that no, he wasn't expecting any clothing. There was some ceremonial jewelry he had in mind that he was providing, but because they were eloping, he expected this to be fairly casual. Ruto also noticed Noden and Muir seemed to have come surprisingly close in just a few hours.

Noden presented some paper documents. It was the rough draft of the prenuptial agreement. It had said as a condition of their marriage all zora citizens born in Hyrule within both Ruto's and Kaitos lifetime as well as any who were currently alive on the day of their wedding will have dual citizenship with the zora Domain of Labyrinna and Hyrule. There was also a clause that due to a potential conflict of interest of dual citizenship, the zoras who maintained their citizenship with Hyrule were exempt from any drafts, and would only serve in war on a voluntary basis.

She looked over it carefully and confirmed she would sign the stone tablet if written this way.

That night the tablet were written and the vows were said.

"I, Kaito, the Zora King of Labyrinna, take you, Princess Ruto of Hyrule, to be my lawfully wedded wife and I do promise and covenant, before the Goddess and these witnesses, to be your loving and faithful husband in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, according to the Goddess holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith." as long as we both shall live."

"I, Ruto, Zora Princess of Hyrule, take you, Kaito Zora King of Labyrinna, to be my lawfully wedded husband, and I do promise and covenant, before the Goddess and these witnesses, to be your loving and faithful wife in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, according to the Goddess holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith." as long as we both shall live."

The minister pronounced them Husband and wife, they kissed a simple kiss and the stone tablets were signed. Queen Mazu shed a tear. "Even if this arrangement was small it seems I always cry at weddings" she said.

While signing Kaito made a comment, "It's funny in a way the way the prenuptial was written. You are included in that dual citizenship. So while you are the new zora queen of Labyrinna, you are still technically the zora princess of Hyrule. It's not often royalty maintains two titles like that."

She thought about that and smiled, "Yeah, you're right. That is interesting to think about isn't it?"