Princess Zelda Nohansen of Hyrule was about to give a speech, for the new recruits of the Royal Hyrulean Army. It wasn't a daunting task, she had been doing it for a few years now ever since her father decided she needed to be seen in the public eye as a leader.
"Heavens, look at the time! I need to get to the gardens."
On reaching the gardens, she saw her father, the King of Hyrule addressing the new recruits before her. Her eyes scanned over the bunch of young men standing in formation, until one caught her attention. Long and messy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, it was enough to make the prettiest of maidens swoon.
Suddenly he looked up to catch Zelda's gaze. Immediately blushing, she looked away only for him to smile and her looking back at him sheepishly and returning it.
A woman turned in her sleep, a smile on her face.
The man wasn't any less starstruck either, her emerald green eyes, braided brown hair, and a beautiful purple gown, she was easily the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on. He smiled at her, causing her to blush which made him smile even harder, until he realized she was the Princess and reality came crashing down.
"Zelda...ahem ZELDA!"
Her father's voice pierced her thoughts like an arrow, perhaps reminding her of the reality of her situation, and she realized where she was and what she was supposed to do.
"It's time for your speech." he said with a look which all but told her to snap out of it.
Red-faced, she took the stage. How were these men supposed to look up to her after that. She looked at the men, clearly struggling to get any words out until her gaze fell on that warm smile again, and suddenly she could speak again.
"Dear children of Hylia" she began "Thank you for joining the Royal Hyrulean Army. Your courage and hardwork have led you to be here today. You all are very important to Hyrule and its future you strike fear in any foe's heart who dares challenge us. You all will make Hyrule proud, I'm sure of it. Each and every one of you..."
Even though words kept coming out of her mouth, it was mostly subconscious. Her real focus was still on that young Knight, daydreaming about things she wouldn't dare utter in front of her father.
"May the Goddesses smile upon you!"
Cheers and claps erupted as she concluded her speech, and she responded by raising her hand and smiling.
"KNIGHTS! TO YOUR BARRACKS!" ordered Jorulph, the captain of the Hyrulean Army.
As they exited, both the man and Zelda snuck one last look at each other without the other knowing. Both of them had the same thoughts on their mind, the other was gonna be hard to get out of their minds.
The woman turned again, still smiling
***
After a tiring day full of countless amounts of meetings, ceremonies and seminars, Zelda was more than happy to retire to her chambers. Her mother had passed away a few years ago, and her father had contracted the same incurable illness. He felt it was the end, and wanted to leave his daughter prepared to lead as he did not want the throne in some foreigner's hand who he would have to give Zelda's hand just because she was a woman. On this count, Zelda deeply admired him, he had gone against the council on this just for her.
Zelda got ready for bed, as she looked out of the window and as fate would have it, saw him. He was walking alone and before Zelda knew what she was doing, her knuckles rapped the window in a seemingly futile attempt to grab his attention, but surprising enough it worked as he looked up confused.
Again throwing caution to the wind, she beckoned for him to climb up to the window.
He could hardly believe what was happening, it had to be some kind of joke right, maybe she was motioning someone else. But as he looked around and then looked back at her, he knew she wasn't kidding. Even though every single rational thought in his brain was to decline, his heart wouldn't listen. Besides who was he to deny the Princess?
"Gods, the King will have my head for this..." he muttered as he started to climb against his brain's protests.
Zelda couldn't believe it either, she had just invited a Knight to join her in her chambers after hours. If anyone was to find them, he would surely be executed and she wouldn't be allowed to leave her chambers as long as her father was alive.
As he reached the window, Zelda had one final opportunity to stop, so did he for that matter. But she opened the window and he climbed in, both knowing it was wrong but maybe that's what made them want to do it all the more.
"Um... hello." Zelda began, not really knowing what to do now.
"Your Highness... uh you motioned for me t-"
"Yes... yes. What's your name?" she asked just realizing she didn't know the answer to that question.
"Link, Your Highness. Link Ordon, Knight Second Order."
Zelda was very surprised at this, "Second Order you say? My you must be very gifted, you're the first recruit I've ever heard of to start in the Second Order. The best ones usually make it to Fourth at best."
Link smiled, even blushed a little, "Thank you Your Highness, your praise is greatly-"
"Please- don't call me Your Highness, just call me Zelda."
"I don't feel it would be proper Your Highn-"
"None of this is proper is it? Why not go one step further?"
"Okay, Zelda." the name felt weird on his lips, but she was right, he had come this far hadn't he?
"That feels much better. Well Link I saw you looking at me during the speech today." she said desperate to make conversation, even though the physical attraction was slowly overwhelming her.
"Well only because you were looking at me first Zelda." he chuckled, before he realized the gravity of what he said. "I do apologize Your Hig- Zelda, I forgot my place for a sec-"
Zelda couldn't take it any more, the attraction was mutual, what was she waiting for. She leaned in until their lips were mere inches apart. She looked into his eyes, those piercing blue eyes, as if urging him to make the move.
Part of him thought about climbing out of the window, going to the King first thing in the morn' and begging for forgiveness at his feet, hoping to keep his life, forget his job. But that was just for a moment, as the next thing he knew was the feeling of their lips entwining. It was pure bliss, for both of them.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and they were both brought back to earth and instantly moved away from each other.
"Zelda... I- We-" Link began but Zelda cut him off, "Go- Tomorrow, same time."
His brain protested one time, begging him to say no, but he nodded, and climbed down the window.
"Your Highness?" Came a voice from outside the door. "It's Impa. May I come in?"
After closing the window, she answered "You may, Impa."
"Your Highness, His Majesty asked me to remind you that tomorrow you have to meet with the Royal Council on the worsening relationship with the Gerudo."
"Yes, I remember Impa. Is that all? I am exhausted."
"Of course Your Highness, I'll take my leave." said Impa as she left and closed the door behind her.
Zelda sighed, she didn't care about the meeting anymore. Tomorrow night couldn't come soon enough.
As Link walked towards the barracks, he wondered if he was dreaming. He pinched himself and then smiled as he couldn't wait for tomorrow. What a story he had to tell the boys in the barracks, even though he never could. He doubted they would believe him anyway.
The woman was smiling even harder than before in her sleep, which didn't seem possible
Promise you'll stay with me forever?
I promise
***
Link said good night to his fellow soldiers at the barracks, and waited a bit, before he set out for Zelda's chambers again. Their meetings had become a daily occurrence. But today was different, as his hand tightened around his new blade in it's sheath, which glowed blue inside it.
Zelda was looking out the window, waiting till she could catch a glimpse of him walking towards her. Even though her attraction had been purely physical at first, once she got to know Link, she was falling for him day by day, and that scared her because she knew they could never be together. Letting a woman rule unmarried was one thing, but courting, much less marrying a commoner was something the council would not permit at any cost, and she didn't think her father would be on her side on this either.
Right on cue, Link turned the corner and saw his princess waiting. She blew him a kiss, which he caught with his left hand and motioned it inside his heart. Moments like these were frequent with Link, and she fell for him all the faster because of it.
As he came in, she wrapped him in for a kiss, but as her hands wrapped around his waist she felt something different. Breaking away, she looked down and could hardly believe her eyes.
"Is that...?"
"The one and only, the Master Sword."
"But... only the Hero of Legend can pull that sword out... wait-" she paused as she connected the dots. "You're the Hero of Legend?!"
"Yeah, I guess I am." he tried to act nonchalant, but Zelda noticed the excitement hidden in his voice.
"Every year they take us recruits to the Korok woods to see if the Hero has surfaced yet. Mostly it's like a day out, but it turned out to be so much more today. Your father was informed a few hours ago, I guess he didn't tell you yet because he plans to announce it properly tomorrow."
"Goddesses Link! This is amazing! Oh I am so proud of you!" said Zelda "Can I hold the sword? I've read countless legends about it, but I never thought I'd get the chance to see it in person, much less hold it."
"Of course!" said Link handing her the sword.
It felt divine in her hands, she looked at Link her eyes full of love, and she pulled him in for a massive hug. But as she swung her arm around him she gravely misjudged the length and trajectory of the sword, which ended up hitting her own side, and from the force of the hug, drew blood.
"GODS!" she screamed from the unexpected pain.
Link took the sword from her hands as he nursed her to the ground "ZELDA! Are you okay?!"
The Princesses Royal Guard, stationed outside the room heard the Princess's cry, and immediately entered her chambers and were astonished by the sight. A soldier, of their own army no less, standing over the Princess with a diving looking sword in his hand, and the Princess bleeding on the ground.
It took Link a second to realize how the guards must be seeing it, but before he could form any words was knocked to the ground by a guard.
"No wait! This isn't how it seems!" The other guard picked up Zelda from the ground and led her to her bed, as he called for help. The King, along with many more guards and medical professionals were summoned. Link was on his knees, being held by two guards.
"What the blazes is the meaning of calling me at this ungodly hour?!" boomed King Rhoam as he entered her daughter's chambers, before he saw her bleeding on the bed. His expression immediately faltered. "Oh my... Zelda... what happ- are you okay?"
"Father..." she said weakly.
"What the FUCK happened here?!" he demanded from the guards, Zelda had never heard him curse before, he was truly mad.
He looked at Link being held on the ground. "Why is he being held? He is one of ours, unhand him!"
"But your majesty!" A guard interjected, "We found this scum inside the Princess's chamber, holding a weapon over her. We went inside when we heard her cries."
"WHAT?!" Link was the Hero of Legend, Rhoam couldn't believe what he was hearing but there it was plain as day. "Ordon, I'm only going to give you one opportunity to defend yourselves, and you better have a good fucking answer for me." his voice was simply deadly.
"Your Majesty, this is all just a big misunderstanding." Link said as he tried to defuse the situation. "Zelda knew I was going to be here, what happened to her was just an accident as she mis-swung the sword."
"Zelda, is this true?" Rhoam didn't believe a word of it, but as he was the Hero of Legend he decided to give him a chance before sending him to the gallows to be hung at dawn.
Zelda almost instantly screamed YES, before she paused to think. If she said yes, she would have to explain what Link was doing there, which would be disastrous. But how could what happen to Link be any worse than this?!
The rational part of her responded, Link is doomed, but you can still save yourself.
No...
Save yourself.
Please- No...
Save yourself.
No- But even she knew her heart couldn't refuse much longer...
SAVE YOURSELF!
"NO!" But this time it wasn't in her head, and it wasn't for her heart. The rational part of her won, the pain playing a factor. She had betrayed him, she had betrayed the one she loved.
Link was in disbelief, surely he heard her wrong, she wouldn't do that.
Would she?
"Zelda, what are you-" he said in a louder tone.
"Don't you raise your voice scum!" said a soldier punching him in the face. He was given a few more hits and it was all Zelda could do not to speak out. She bit her tongue till she could taste blood. Tears were forming fast in her eyes, but she didn't dare let them fall in front of her father.
"Zelda help me!" Link still looked confused, as though he didn't wanna believe what was happening was indeed happening.
"TELL THEM THE TRUTH!" his voice louder than she had ever heard it, his eyes full of horror, betrayal, and disgust.
Disgust. He felt disgust for her.
And she deserved it.
The woman turned again, but the smile had long vanished, replaced by pain, simply pain.
King Rhoam looked at Zelda one more time, the rational part of him knew something was wrong, he knew Ordon and he wasn't capable of this. But the father in him was in charge, who ordered Link to be dragged down to the gallows.
"Zelda." he wasn't loud anymore, his voice was a hoarse whisper.
"Please... you promised." That was it, that was what broke her. She couldn't bare to watch anymore, she stuffed her face in her knees and let the tears flow as she didn't have the will to hold them back anymore. She was disgusted at herself.
"THAT'S ENOUGH SCUM!" shouted a soldier while kicking him in the guts and covering his mouth so he couldn't speak. "SHUT UP!"
Zelda looked up and their eyes met once again, but his weren't full of love anymore. Not even anger, just betrayal, shock, and disgust. And sadness, that sadness in his eyes would haunt her the rest of her life. Then he was dragged out of the room and Zelda knew she would never see him again.
The tears weren't going to stop that night.
•••
Present Day
•••
"Zelda. Please... you promised."
Queen Zelda Nohansen woke up in a pool of sweat. Another night, the same nightmare. The events of 7 years ago would haunt her forever. Not a day went by when she didn't regret the decision she made.
Disgust.
A/N : Well rewriting this, I certainly changed a lot, adding over 1000 words. I can't believe how lazy my writing was back then, goes to show everything does change with time, for better or worse. At this pace, a re-read of this story would feel completely different, so I'd definitely recommend it. Oh well, onwards to chapter 1!