Melted

Jewels and sweat, courage in a friend

William stood in ceremonial stillness next to Kafei. Zelda stood far to his left, surrounded by nobles and merchants and whoever could have a say in the Kingdom. Link stood in front of him, just a little bit further down the line.

As the most recent person to court Her Highness he was placed farthest from her. Not that he seemed to mind, he had his hands clasped behind his back and stole glances to Her Highness with no lust or love, or any type of adoration one would expect of him.

He almost looked worried.

And Princess Zelda stood proud and menacing in front of everybody.

William could feel that something was bound to happen. Zelda had been too calm about receiving Prince Ralis. Not that she was nervous in previous visits, but now, today, she was proud... like she was expecting people to realize something.

William would eat his shoe if it didn't concern Link.

⁂⁂⁂

Link moved his feet on his spot. He had wanted to stay out of this, but now he was courting Zelda and that meant his position was different. It meant he had to attend a shit ton of activities in which his only asset was that he remained silent and got to see the others embarrass themselves in front of the Princess.

Maybe it was a little late to realize this, maybe not in the best of times, but Link wasn't really the type to like attention. Sucked to be him.

The door that lead from the outside to the Castle opened and trumpets made a point of making a grand entrance for the Zora Pri- No, not anymore. To the Zora King.

Ralis looked heavy, adorned with jewels the size of Link's fists, but he stood tall and walked surrounded by Zoras that looked ready to kill. Link would have liked to lay in the grass and look at the clouds move in the sky.

The procession moved slowly, not because they wanted to look regal and formal, but because Ralis was taking little steps so as to not disturb his jewels. Link could feel the concentration Ralis was mustering to walk, look menacing and look good while doing that.

Nobody moved a muscle. The procession moved slow and the music had long finished but King Ralis was doing his best and-

Link had remained still as a statue, long gone was his eagerness to leave, he was now sending all his strength to Ralis. To keep poised, to not get nervous, to have his first meeting with the Ruler of Hyrule without problems.

It was one of the suitors. He shuffled his feet, just enough to move his leg and rest his weight on the other, just enough that in any other circumstance no one would have seen it.

Princess Zelda looked at him with killing intent and the man stood straight.

Link had Ralis a few feet away from him and he looked like he was going to pass out. Link could see water droplets running down his skin and his skin looked pale.

It was a second. Link was standing, all seriousness and kindness, and Ralis stopped.

"Link."

It was a second, because Ralis' guards looked at their charge with urgency and what looked like Ralis' advisor gave the King a slight push for him to keep on walking.

It was a second, because Link couldn't even finish his smile before Ralis passed his position.

The moment Ralis moved forward with a slight smile on his face, the moment Link locked eyes with William who had his mouth open in a question, the moment King Ralis greeted Her Highness without nervousness and with a soft smile that surprised Zelda, the moment Ralis' advisor turned around to look at Link, so obvious even a suitor moved from his position to get a good look at the blond. The moment the procession disappeared and the Council stood there for a couple more of seconds to stare at Link, the moment the suitors, the musicians, the servants, the merchants and the nobles left, Link let out a sigh and disappeared into the stables.

⁂⁂⁂

Link was brushing Epona's fur, murmuring sweet nothings to his mare when William appeared at the stable.

"Link," he greeted.

Link hummed in answer, asking to Hylia to be left alone.

"You didn't tell the Council you were friends with King Ralis."

Link thinned his lips, shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know why I should've."

William walked forward, "To up your chances to become a suitor?"

Link couldn't help the pride that filled him, "Accomplished it anyway."

William was next to him now, "Barely."

Link raised his shoulders again.

"And mainly because Dotour didn't want Zelda to go on another escapade with you."

Epona neighed and Link caressed her muzzle.

"Why didn't you tell the Council that you had ties with the King?"

"Because I didn't want you to use him because of me."

William squinted, "That's not how it works-"

"And the last time I saw him he was just a Prince."

William raised an eyebrow, "Just," he marked, "a Prince?"

"I'm not letting you use him because he's friendly with me."

"Friendly is an understatement," William said, "I'm just quoting here, but you," William stressed, "are the reason he's alive, the reason he could calm himself today and a dear friend always welcome in Zora's Domain."

Link could feel his breathing getting labored. He was a child. A naive, dumb child who didn't know who he said those things to.

"Who else heard that?" The Council? The advisor?

William saw Link's distress and answered, "Just the Princess," and then as an afterthought, "she told me. No one else heard, no one else knows," Link let out a breath that made William cock his head, "he may be young but he's not dumb."

Link patted Epona and stepped away, "Good, don't tell anyone else."

William shook his head, "It was obvious, Link, that he trusted you in some way, don't try to hide the sun with your thumb."

"I can always try," Link turned before leaving the stable.

William stopped in front of him, looking at Link. William rolled his eyes at Link's silence. "I just wanted to know why you didn't use such valuable assets to try and earn you position as suitor."

"I do not do the things I do because I'll get benefits from them."

William wasn't sure if Link was being sarcastic or not. "And yet you used your ties with the Gorons to make the Council eat shit months ago."

"That was different," Link snarled.

"Was it?"

Link thought about his travel to Death Mountain, about the monster that was Darbus, about the smirk of Gor Coron and the way the Gorons had looked reluctant with him. Sure, Link hadn't forced it, hadn't threatened, but was it any different?

"He's a child."

William nodded, "Just know that though people don't know as much as Zelda or me, they suspect." William opened his arms, "Nothing you can really do, just... prepare for it."

Link blinked, "Are you... helping me?"

William raised his shoulders and made a high-pitched sound, "I'm still deciding if you're dumb or too nice."

William patted Link's arm before leaving, "See ya."

And Link couldn't decide if William was a mean bastard or a cunning one.