Forbidden Flame (Chapter II): A Zelink story

Chapter 2

The day the kings arrived, everybody in the castle was on edge. The maids were prepping spare bedrooms as the chefs cooked up some traditional Hyrule delicacies. I was wearing an uncomfortable but gorgeously tight blue, gold and white bodice with a silky royal skirt of the same colours. 

We were getting ready in the dressing room and Link was, once again, allowing me to manoeuvre his hair in front of the mirror. 

"You seem a little tense." I said.

"Tense? Yeah, makes sense. I'm nervous."

I finished tying his hair and stood to his side As he turned to look at me.

"Don't be nervous, sweet one. You'll be fine." I rested a hand on his shoulder as his face radiated visible stress.

"What if I'm not?" He lowered his voice out of humiliation. "What if I don't manage to get a good deal and put eveyone in danger?"

"You will! Trust me." 

Link smoothed down his clothes and inhaled deeply. "I'm scared."

"I know, me too. But you're strong, Link. You can do this. You managed to hold up pretty well before you were about to get beheaded, remember? There's no way you can't handle this."

"But I wasn't putting anyone at risk then." He sighed. "If I fail, everyone's in danger. We won't have enough soldiers to keep away monsters from the castle. I mean, what about..." His eyebrows furrowed in sudden tension and dread. "What about Daphne? What if something happens to her just because I couldn't keep us out of danger?"

"Nothing will happen to Daphne." I rested a hand on his jawline in reassurance. "She's fine. She always will be."

We both heard commotion downstairs and I glanced out the window to see a band of horses coming towards the castle entrance. 

"That'll be one of them." I turned back to Link. "You ready?"

"I guess so."

"King Balthazar of Sibiah," The royal stepped off his horse and shook Link's hand gracefully. He seemed to be a very open person, his domina certainly welcoming and pure. "I have heard a lot about you, your majesty. It is wonderful to finally meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine." Link smiled.

"I must say, it's a wonderful kingdom you have here;" I watched silently as Link lit up and his shoulders relaxed. Clearly, this was going better than he had expected.  "I would be more than willing to help you in your struggles to keep it running."

"Oh, well, thank you, Sir."

"You look very young to be King. If I may, how old are you?"

"I am twenty-three, your majesty."

"Twenty-three!" The king bellowed. "You seem so comitted for a boy so young."

"Well, it's my duty."

"That it is." The King turned his attention to me, and as per usual, I saw his face soften with appeal. "I assume you must be Queen Zelda?"

I smiled as best I could. "Yes, your majesty."

"Wow, it is truly a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you." I kept my voice neutral, so as not to give him any ideas. You see, even if he did not have any intentions, it was always safer as a Queen to act closed off towards people. 

Balthazar turned back to Link. "I have heard rumours of you having a child, is this true? If so, I give my congratulations." 

"Yes, but she is only one year old." Link's voice trailed off as the two of them began walking side by side down the hallway.