To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 15 – Shatter

Zelda departed the infirmary and began making her way towards the Roundtable meeting room. She admittedly felt a bit tired after her "lively" meeting with her father, but she didn't let it bother her. She was still looking forward to seeing all of the Roundtable members come together and try to make progress towards improving their Kingdom. The last meeting had been a success, and Zelda was hoping for similar results this time around. Plus, it would be nice to see everyone again.

Including a certain Hero of Twilight…

Zelda allowed herself a smile. She wasn't going to deny it. The thought of seeing Link again filled her with joy. Between the long amount of time that they had spent apart and the fact that Zelda had started to accept her true feelings for the Hero, she was rather eager to see him again. She wanted nothing more than for them to simply come together, smile, and catch up. Perhaps they would even share a few laughs as they often did.

As Zelda's smile grew wider, she continued making her way through the castle halls, occasionally glancing out into the nearby courtyard and appreciating what a nice day it was. For some reason, things certainly seemed brighter than usual today. However, Zelda's thoughts were soon interrupted as a certain female Knight entered her vision from a hallway off to the side, traveling in the same direction as herself. It didn't take long before she took notice of the Princess.

"Ah, good morning, Zelda," Ashei said, her trademark smirk suddenly appearing on her lips. It was clear that she was still trying to tease the Princess about their previous encounter a month ago.

Zelda just ignored her though. She was currently in a good mood, so she chose to greet the Knight with a bright smile. "Good morning, Ashei."

Ashei fell in line next to Zelda, and raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. "In a hurry to get to the meeting, yeah? I can't help but wonder why…"

Once again, Zelda ignored the girl's attempts to taunt her. "I am, actually. I imagine today's meeting will be very productive."

This response seemed to give Ashei some pause. This wasn't the way that the Princess usually responded to her teasing. The Knight quickly dropped her charade, looking perplexed. "What's up with you?"

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, still pleasantly smiling.

"You certainly seem cheerful today," Ashei replied with a frown.

Zelda simply shrugged. "I suppose I am."

"What's the occasion?"

Zelda paused, suddenly recalling the other night where she had properly sat down and sorted out her feelings for the Hero of Twilight. She smiled a bit more. "If I had to say, it's that everything just feels much more clear to me now."

Ashei raised her eyebrows. "And what does that mean?"

Zelda giggled a bit, surprising even herself with how mirthful she felt. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it, Ashei."

Ashei just pouted at this answer. It almost felt like the Princess was teasing her by withholding the truth. Shaking her head, Ashei decided to respond with some more teasing of her own. "Perhaps you're in such a good mood because you'll soon be reunited with Link," she said with a smirk.

"Perhaps," Zelda agreed, still smiling. "I am certainly looking forward to seeing him again today."

Once again, Ashei dropped her playful expression, replacing it with an unamused scowl. She hadn't expected the Princess to embrace her taunts as willingly as she had. What had happened to the reactions that she was used to seeing? The blushing and averted gaze?

"You're no fun," she eventually said with a sigh.

Zelda just shook her head. "You should have known that your tricks wouldn't work forever, Ashei. I'm far too wise for that."

"Hmph," the Knight grunted in response.

Before long, the two of them arrived at the meeting room. Several of the Roundtable members had already arrived, so Zelda took some time to go around and greet each of them properly. Fost and Enzo had already assembled, as had Auru. Zelda welcomed each of them with a bright smile and wished them a good morning.

Darbus had also arrived early to the scene, no doubt due to him having access to the fastest method of travel. He was more than happy to give the Princess a friendly welcome, just as he had last time.

"Good morning, Princess," he said with a wide grin.

"Good morning, Darbus," Zelda replied. "Thank you for making the journey here to participate in the Roundtable again. I truly appreciate it."

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world!" he said with a hearty laugh. He then took one of his giant palms and gave the Princess a "gentle" pat on the back, the force of which nearly knocked her from her feet.

Fost was quick to speak up about this. "Chief Darbus, do be careful! With your strength, you could easily knock the Princess to the floor."

Darbus quickly frowned. "Er…sorry, Little Fost."

Zelda soon straightened herself out and regained her composure. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I like to think that I can handle a friendly pat from a Goron."

Darbus grinned at this. "Ah, tough as bedrock, just like her father!"

Zelda simply smiled back, appreciating his compliment.

As the meeting time approached, the rest of the Roundtable members slowly trickled in. Renado arrived, followed by Prince Ralis, and finally Mayor Bo and Link. As soon as the Hero entered the room, Zelda set her sights on him. He didn't seem to notice her, as he was currently busy greeting Renado and Darbus, but Zelda didn't mind. She was more than happy to take matters into her own hands, choosing to approach him and strike up a conversation at his earliest convenience.

As Link finished saying hello to the Goron and Shaman, Zelda gave him a light tap on the shoulder, drawing his attention. "Welcome back, Hero," she said with a smile.

Link quickly returned her smile as he spotted her. "Oh, hi Zelda. Long time no see, huh?"

Zelda nodded. "Indeed. It feels like I've barely caught sight of you within the last month."

Link flashed a hint of a guilty look, while also rubbing his neck. "Sorry, I've been kind of busy in Ordon lately. I haven't had a lot of time to stop by."

Zelda shook her head. "No worries. I know that you have plenty of business to attend to there. I don't expect you to be at the castle at all times."

"Thanks for understanding," Link said with a nod. "I really do appreciate being able to come and go as I please."

"Of course, Link." She then smirked a bit, deciding to play with the Hero. "It's perfectly fine, as long as I know that you weren't trying to avoid me."

"Avoid you?" Link said in surprise. He quickly frowned and waved his hands a bit. "N-No, I would never!" He then paused in order to gulp and look guilty again. "Is that really what you thought I was doing?"

Zelda placed a hand over her mouth, giggling at his reaction. "Of course not, Link. I'm only teasing you."

Link stared at her for a moment, but soon allowed his shoulders to relax. "Geez, you scared me there for a second. I thought you might have really been upset with me."

Zelda shook her head with a smile. "Come now, you should know that I would never be angry with you over something like this."

"That's true," Link agreed sheepishly. He then tried to give her a sincere smile in return. "And you should know that I would never try to ignore you, Zelda. I always think it's nice to see you."

And there it was: the soft, sincere gaze that slayed any chance that Zelda had of keeping her composure. As per usual, the Princess felt forced to look away as her cheeks began to redden. Receiving such a compliment from the Hero sent her heart aflutter. It seemed that even though she was in a good mood and was excited to be talking to Link, it didn't mean that she had learned to conquer her nerves.

"I-It's always nice to see you too," she stammered quietly, her eyes on the floor.

"It's good to be here," Link said with a nod before glancing around the room. He seemed to be taking note of all the Roundtable members that were currently assembled.

Meanwhile, Zelda just silently berated herself. Why was she still acting so awkward and embarrassed? All Link had done was pay her a tiny compliment. She really needed to learn to get her act together in front of him. Even if she might have an interest in him, it was still no excuse for such a display of ridiculous behavior!

Taking a deep breath, Zelda felt some of the heat leave her face. She then tried to still her heart as she forced her eyes back to the Hero. She could do this. She insisted on keeping her composure.

"So Link," she said quietly, drawing his attention back to her. Zelda paused a bit the moment his eyes landed on her, but she forced herself to stay strong and continue. "How have things been in Ordon? Going well, I hope?"

Link smiled some more, appearing happy to talk about his home. "Things have been going really well, actually. In fact, there was even something…exciting that happened recently." The Hero then paused before glancing down at the floor, suddenly looking a little bashful. "You see, I-"

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

Zelda quickly frowned as a random voice interrupted their conversation. She glanced down to find the owner of the voice to be none other than the short man himself, Fost. She couldn't help but scowl a bit as she looked down upon him. Of course, leave it to the elderly Minister to interrupt the Princess when she was in the middle of her stride.

"Yes, Fost?" she asked, showing more irritation in her tone than she intended to.

Fost gave a small bow. "Forgive me for interrupting your discussion, but could we perhaps begin the meeting? Everyone has arrived and it is the agreed-upon time. Also…" Fost took a second to glance in the direction of the Goron that occupied the room. He soon dropped his voice to a whisper. "If we wait any longer, I fear that Chief Darbus will try to make a quick trip to the infirmary to visit His Majesty. He's already talked of doing such a thing if we don't start soon, and I'd hate for His Majesty's rest to be needlessly disturbed by this hulking oaf–Er, I mean, the esteemed Chief of the Gorons."

Zelda just stared down at Fost before releasing a tired sigh. She felt like the Minister was exaggerating the direness of the situation, but she supposed that she didn't want her father's rest to be disturbed either. "Very well," she agreed. "We'll begin at once."

"Excellent," Fost said with a smile. He then turned around to spot the Goron in question walking towards the doorway. The older man immediately jumped in surprise. "Bah! Chief Darbus, where do you think you're going? We're about to begin!"

Zelda just shook her head before turning to Link with an apologetic expression. "I'm afraid we'll have to catch up later."

"No problem," he replied with a shrug.

The Roundtable meeting proceeded smoothly and successfully once again. As expected, all of the members were able to bring their concerns to the discussion, while also offering their aid where needed. Link was properly thanked for his assistance in rescuing the missing Dolen, who had in fact wandered into Faron Woods without any hope of finding his way back out. Kakariko Village also seemed to be doing better, as a few Zoras had already moved there to set up a store. Enzo also assured Renado that a handful of Castle Town's citizens expressed interest in moving there in the next few weeks. He even provided a list of names as well as the general timeframe in which the Shaman could expect their arrival.

Eventually, a moment came where Zelda rose from her seat, and chose to make an announcement. Immediately, all eyes fell on the Princess, and the table was hers.

"Myself, Minster Enzo, and Minister Fost have all been having discussions with the rest of the Hyrule Council. We are constantly trying to brainstorm ideas which will strengthen the bonds between our various civilizations and therefore assist in the unification of Hyrule. Recently, the Council has come to a decision that we believe will aid in this endeavor, and thus I have a proposition to make."

Zelda paused, before glancing around at the faces that surrounded her. She then spoke up in a loud, clear voice. "At some point in the near future, I plan to embark on a Kingdom-wide tour."

Zelda took a moment to allow this information to sink in. She watched as many curious eyes fell on her, wanting to hear more.

"I intend to visit each of your homes, as a show of support during the reconstruction effort. I want all of Hyrule to know that the Royal Family stands with them."

Fost nodded. "We hope that the Princess's presence might provide some encouragement to those that have struggled after the Twilight Invasion ravaged their homes."

"It will also show the populace that their Kingdom is thinking about them," Enzo added. "This will surely lead to improved relations across all of Hyrule."

"I also plan to use this expedition as a learning opportunity," Zelda continued. "If I am able to experience your cultures firsthand, I believe that I would be better able to offer my assistance during these Roundtable discussions. I would have a better understanding of how each of your civilizations function, and what steps should be taken in order to aid in their recovery."

"This sounds like a wonderful idea," Ralis said with a smile. "I believe it's been a number of years since anyone from the Royal Family has stepped foot in Zora's Domain."

"Aye, it's the same for Death Mountain," Darbus agreed.

"And I'm not sure if Ordon has ever had a Royal Family visit," Bo said with a small laugh.

Zelda smiled. "Which is precisely why we feel this is necessary. I want Hyrule to know that their monarch has not abandoned them. My father's condition may prevent his attendance at the moment, but I will gladly stand in his place. I want to provide the people with hope. To remind them that while yes, the Twilight Invasion has left scars on our Kingdom, we still plan to come out of this stronger than ever, by standing together and supporting each other."

Zelda's impassioned speech was met with numerous nods of approval, and even some minor applause. As per usual, the clapping came from Ralis, Renado, and Bo. However, to Zelda's surprise, Link also joined in the applause, bringing his hands together while giving her a warm and encouraging smile. In response to this, Zelda quickly looked away, hoping to keep her composure by avoiding eye contact with the Hero.

Fost then spoke up, saving the Princess from having to speak in a flustered stutter. "As expected, the Princess plans to visit the four established civilizations within Hyrule's borders. Kakariko Village, Death Mountain, Zora's Domain, and Ordon Village. Do you all approve of this arrangement?"

The four leaders of the mentioned locations all gave their approval for the plan. They all seemed to be more than happy to welcome Zelda into their homes, and believed that this would be a beneficial experience for their people, as well as the Kingdom as a whole.

"You have my utmost thanks," Zelda said, bowing her head a bit. "Fost, Enzo, and I will work on getting all of the details of the tour ironed out before the next Roundtable meeting. We hope to share a completed schedule with you by then. After that, we'll make sure that all of the necessary preparations have been made, and then the tour will commence."

"Fost and I will also be in contact with the four of you as well," Enzo added, looking at the leaders. "We'll gladly assist in any preparations that you need to undertake in order to prepare for the Princess's arrival."

Fost nodded. "We'll also try to provide you with a reliable timetable for this event, so you have plenty of notice before the tour initiates."

Once again, the leaders nodded their approval. Everyone seemed completely on board with the idea of the Kingdom-wide tour. Zelda just looked upon each of them with a thankful smile before eventually taking her seat.

Not long after that, the Roundtable meeting was adjourned. Similar to the previous dismissal, many of the members seemed content to hang around the meeting room afterwards and chat. As Zelda rose from her seat, she once again felt eager to resume her conversation with Link. She had only ended their previous conversation begrudgingly, and she was still hoping to catch up with him and hear some more about his time in Ordon.

However, Zelda seemed to have a number of obstacles to overcome before she was allowed to reach the Hero across the room. First off, Fost asked her if she would like to begin discussing plans for the tour immediately, but Zelda quickly declined, not wanting to miss her chance to talk to Link. This backfired a bit though, as Fost then inquired as to what time she would like to discuss the tour, which led to Zelda having to recall her busy schedule and what openings she had available. Eventually, she managed to give the short man a satisfying response, and he released her from the conversation.

Zelda then ran into Ralis, who wanted to question her about her father's condition. He wanted to know if the King was showing any signs of improvement, or if there was anything that his people could do to help the situation. Zelda didn't want to just blow him off, especially when he seemed genuinely concerned for her father's wellbeing, so she reluctantly began filling the Prince in. As she explained the details to Ralis, Zelda's eyes fell on Link, who stood across the room and seemed to be talking to Renado. She truly hoped to catch him before he decided to leave.

Unfortunately, another distraction arose when Darbus caught wind of their conversation, and suddenly recalled that he had wanted to visit the King in the infirmary. He naturally barreled out of the room, excited to see his old friend once again. And of course, Fost soon chased after him, shouting about how Darbus should refrain from visiting His Majesty who needed absolute rest. It was at this point that Zelda glanced down at the table and noticed that Fost had forgotten something on the table yet again. The previous time it had been his notes, but on this occasion, the Minister had left his tiny pair of spectacles behind. Zelda knew that the elderly man couldn't see so well without them, so with a weary sigh, she scooped up the frames and quickly chased after the duo, hoping to catch them before they got too far.

When Zelda eventually caught up with them, she was disappointed to find that an argument had broken out. Fost was still insisting that Darbus should leave the King alone and let him get some rest. Meanwhile, Darbus was shouting that Caius was a good friend of his, and that the King had encouraged the Goron to visit whenever he pleased. Fost then turned to the Princess, hoping she would back up his side of the argument.

However, by this point, Zelda felt too exhausted to argue. She had been thoroughly worn down by her run through the halls as well as their absurd antics. With a tired sigh, she handed Fost his spectacles and then told Darbus that he was free to visit her father as long as he didn't stay for long and didn't get the man too excited. Darbus seemed pleased with the answer, but Fost just looked aghast. The short Minister seemed like he still wanted to argue his position, but Zelda wasn't willing to entertain him. All she wanted to do was head back to the meeting room and find Link again. With another sigh, the Princess dismissed herself, and hurried back down the halls, leaving the two of them to sort out any further issues on their own.

By the time Zelda made it back to the meeting room, she was short of breath and felt like a disorderly mess. She tried to brush some of her disheveled hair back into place, in addition to smoothing out her dress. Once she felt a bit more collected, she moved for the doorway…

"So, have you given any more thought to what we discussed last time? My offer to introduce you to my daughter still stands."

Zelda froze just short of the entrance. She immediately recognized that the voice belonged to Enzo, and he seemed to be conversing with…

"Yeah, I've thought about it a lot, actually," Link replied.

"Ha ha, you sound surprised with yourself," the voice of Ralis noted gleefully.

"Well, yeah…I hate to admit it, but our discussion last time did kind of get my gears to start turning…"

Zelda remained frozen and breathless as she listened to this. She could feel a nauseating feeling of dread descend upon her. She soon retreated a step and pressed her back to the stone wall as she released a nervous breath. She had quickly realized what she was listening in on.

The three men had continued their conversation from last time!

Zelda tried to remain still as she felt her heart begin to drum hard against her chest. Once again, her nerves were growing restless. She couldn't help it. The thought of Link discussing his interest in other women filled her with anxiety. What was he about to say?

Feeling brave, Zelda took a step towards the door, peering ever so slightly into the meeting room. There she spotted Link, looking a bit nervous himself as he conversed with Enzo and Ralis. She stared at him for a second, waiting for him to speak up again. She honestly hated to eavesdrop like this, but how could she not? In this moment, she was rather desperate to know where the Hero's interests lay!

"Unfortunately, Minister, I'm going to have to decline your offer to meet with your daughter," Link said with an apologetic frown.

Enzo seemed a bit surprised at this. "Ah, don't tell me. Has one of the other ladies in this castle caught your interest? I've noticed that they tend to enjoy your company."

Zelda's heart beat faster upon hearing this. She felt a strong mix of emotions. Worry. Fear. Jealousy. Sadness.

Link allowed himself a nervous smile. "Er…no, none of them."

Zelda's heart continued to beat quickly, but this time with a different range of emotions. Happiness. Relief. Joy. Encouragement!

"But you have an interest in someone, correct?" Ralis asked the Hero.

Zelda gulped, her short-lived elation draining away as she stared at the Hero with wide eyes. Was this really true? She feared the thought of what he might say next, and yet she clung to his every word.

"Yeah, I do," Link admitted sheepishly.

Thump…Thump…Thump…Zelda's anxiety was skyrocketing, and she felt like her heart might burst from her chest. Did she just hear him correctly? The Hero claimed that he had an interest in someone?

"Well, that's wonderful," Enzo said with a bright smile. "I wish you all the best in your pursuit of love."

Link nodded, but soon looked to the floor. "Thanks, but the pursuing part is kind of already done."

Zelda inched forward, trying to listen closely. She needed answers. She needed clarification. She soon closed her eyes, straining to hear Link over the sound of her thunderous heartbeat in her ears.

However, what the Hero said next shocked the Princess to her core.

"I've actually started seeing somebody recently…"

Thump.

Thump…

Thump…?

It was honestly amazing how quickly silence could descend upon an individual. And not only that, but also how quickly someone's nervousness and worry could turn into a cold, icy dread.

As the Hero's words echoed around in Zelda's mind, she felt her body go completely numb. Even her agitated heart had ceased its constant beating. Time seemed to slow, and Zelda started to feel lost and confused, as if she was having trouble processing the Hero's words. A single thought whimpered in her mind.

What…?

However, despite the Princess's distress, the world seemed to carry on without missing a beat. Time continued to flow, and the voices in the room resumed their conversation.

"You're seeing someone?" Ralis asked with a smile.

"Why, congratulations, Link," Enzo said, also smiling towards the Hero. "Pray tell, who's the lucky lady?"

Link smiled back, and sheepishly looked towards the floor again. He seemed a bit shy about accepting their regards. Still, he chose to answer them in a confident tone.

"It's a girl from my village. Her name is Ilia."

Zelda sharply inhaled, drawing some much-needed life back into her body. She instantly retreated from the doorway, placing her back against the wall once more. Her heart felt like it had been shattered, but her mind felt like it was racing. Her eyes began darting around the floor and her face flashed a troubled expression.

Ilia?

Ilia…?

Who's Ilia?

Me while writing this: "Huh, I wonder how many people are going to be pissed off by this chapter…Well, only one way to find out!" lol

On a serious note, I want to assure everyone that this will still be a Link x Zelda story. We're just going to have to take a long and difficult road to get there. And hey, I told you guys that things would probably play out differently than how you expected, didn't I? And I seriously doubt that anyone expected that this would happen, he he he…

To be honest, I thought that we would reach this point in the story much sooner than we actually did. This is kind of where the premise of the story actually starts, after all. And yet, all I've done is spend all this time setting things up, only so I could knock everything down in one fell swoop. I guess I'm pretty ambitious…and evil lol.

But enough of my ramblings, I want to know what you guys think. Please feel free to leave a review with your thoughts, and I'll see you all next chapter.

This is where the story truly begins, he he he…