The Wilted Flower | Zelink BoTW AU [COMPLETE]

red

A beam of light shone through Zelda's window. The young princess' eyes slowly opened, and she angrily threw her bedsheets over her head. I must've forgotten to close the curtains last night, she thought to herself, annoyed.

Zelda's eyes began to adjust to the light, and she was able to open them fully now. However, she stayed under her covers, holding her hands against her chest. Her heart beat fast, although she had just woken from sleep. The knight she watched at dusk began to flood her mind immediately. Her face became hot. She closed her eyes, trying to ease her mind.

A few loud knocks could be heard from her bedroom door. "Zelda! Awaken! I have someone you must meet!" She could tell almost instantly that the voice belonged to her father, the King of Hyrule.

"I'll be down in just a minute," Zelda groaned. She knew the occasion. Another suitor must be visiting. Her father would introduce the prince from a faraway kingdom, she would politely turn him down, and the cycle would continue until the King would no longer be able to take Zelda's time consuming decision, ultimately leading the King to making the decision for her.

Suddenly, Zelda's door swung open, breaking her thoughts. "No time, daughter!" He called, as someone young followed in behind him.

Zelda squealed. "Father! I'm not dressed! I'm still in my nightgown!"

"No matter, if you two are to marry, this delightful young man will see you like this every day." The King smiled awkwardly. "I don't think he will mind a bit of bedhead, do you, Prince Philip?"

Zelda's face grew red with anger and embarrassment. She quickly ran her fingers through her tangled and unkept hair. She stood, eyeing her father before looking at her next suitor.

"Princess Zelda," the young looking man said, "it is nice to finally meet you. Your beauty is far greater than of what I have heard on the streets."

"Oh, please," Zelda scoffed. "What an amusing way to strike a conversation with a girl you just met."

The prince's cheeks flushed pink, and the King almost growled in anger.

"Zelda, I will leave you two alone now," he said, keeping his tone as polite as possible. "Be kind now, daughter."

Zelda curtsied incorrectly, in attempts to spite her father. "With pleasure."

After the King shut her bedroom door, Zelda grunted, rolling her eyes. She walked over to her dresser, with the prince following behind her. "Alright, be on with it."

"Excuse me?" The prince asked.

"Come on, tell me why you wish to marry me," Zelda rolled her eyes once more, this time accidentally. Being annoyed seemed to be a second nature to her at this point.

"Well, erm..." the prince fumbled for words to say, in awe of the princess' demeanor. "I have come from the kingdom of Aeryll, a kingdom far south of Hyrule. I am twenty-four, and like your father mentioned, my name is Prince Philip."

"That's a very popular name," Zelda nodded her head. "Yes, Philip. I think four other suitors came to ask for my hand with that name."

"You've had five suitors come to you?" Philip asked, his eyes wide. "All with my name?"

"Oh, yes, and many more than that," Zelda looked at her fingers, beginning to count off the numbers. "There was Prince Hermey, Prince Avigan, Prince Lethro, Prince Gallian..."

"And out of all of those men, you haven't picked one of them?" The young man asked. "How come you're stubborn to make your decision, your highness?"

"Word of advice, Philip," Zelda scowled, "if you want to marry a woman, do not call her stubborn. I think you just blew your chance with me."

Philip cleared his throat. "I overheard your father. He mentioned making the decision for you, if you and I were not to connect."

Zelda froze where she stood. She stopped rummaging through her clothes. She could feel her heartbeat dim. Growing lighter and lighter. "He... what?"

"He said, 'Time is running out, and if she does not decide, I will decide for her!'" Philip mocked the King's voice. "I do not wish to worry or rush you, princess, but—"

"But that's exactly what you've done!" Zelda threw a dress she held onto her floor. She stormed into her bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Part of her felt bad for Philip, leaving him in her bedroom alone. Yet, the other half, did not.

"Would you like for me to wait for you?" Philip asked through the door.

"You may leave and never return," Zelda placed her head in her hands, dragging her palms across her cheeks. "Please. I can't marry someone I don't know."

"Then let me get to know you!" The prince said. "Let me take you out of the castle for the day. We can go and watch the knights' ceremony, in an hour."

Zelda gasped. "The ceremony!" Quickly, Zelda opened her bathroom door, swiping her dress off of the floor. She returned to her bathroom, stripping from her nightgown and slipping into her clean dress. She brushed her hair and prepared herself. A smile snuck up on her lips, and she couldn't help but let it stick. She began to conjure up many scenarios in which her and her knight would meet up. She watched herself in the mirror, looking nicer than ever. Zelda never looked this nice for any of her suitors before. Why was she so worried about her appearance now?

"Princess Zelda, if I may," Prince Philip began, knocking gently on the bathroom door, "can I ask why you are so worked up about the ceremony?"

Zelda opened the door, walking out valiantly. She eyed the prince, then turned her head away. "I must attend. I am Hyrule's princess, after all."

Philip nodded his head. "Yes, yes. I understand. May I take you there?"

Zelda stared at Philip with wide eyes. "You're still not giving up on me? You know I will not marry you, correct?"

"If I earn your trust, you just might," Philip winked.

Zelda's cheeks grew red. "Not happening. Let's go, Philly."

"Already nicknaming me, I see," Philip said in a low voice. This caught Zelda off guard. His voice surely did not sound like the awkward red-headed prince she just met a few moments ago.

"Shut up and keep behind me," Zelda growled. She fixed her crooked crown that wrapped around her forehead. The jewels aligned with her nose, eyes, and lips, and continued around the span of her head. She tilted her head up, grunting. She opened her bedroom door and walked out, letting Prince Philip trot behind her.