LOLinyashazeldafan

COURSE CORRECTION CHAPTER 5 - DREAMCATCHERS

Link began to wake up from what was probably the most comfortable sleep he had in a long time. Despite not being home, he felt cozy and safe, and like there was... a person?

Wait, a person?!

Link shot his eyes open.

And he was in fact, not sleeping on the air mattress.

He was sleeping on the bed.

With Zelda.

Who was already awake.

OH GODDESS.

"OH MY GODDESS I'M—" Link instantly broke free of what seemed to be Zelda's arms, his heart racing.

"Link, it's—"

"I'M SO SORRY I—"

"—okay it's oka—"

"I DIDN'T MEAN—"

...He fell off the bed. He kind of forgot they were sleeping on the very edge of it. But that didn't stop him from frantically tossing the blankets off of him as he pathetically rolled around to a position where he was huddled into a ball, still apologizing.

"I'M SORRY I'M—I—I'M—"

"LINK IT'S OKAY!" Zelda finally broke through to him. "I genuinely didn't mind!"

Link stopped, catching his breath. As silly as it sounded, he felt like crying. He felt like he had ACTUALLY messed up their entire bond because he was too lazy and tired to get up and sleep elsewhere. He felt like she would cut him off, block him on whatever social media she could, and never speak to him for the rest of his life, and he would only have himself to blame.

But, if she didn't mind...

Right. The past 2 days had happened. He kind of forgot, he was still trying to wake up fully. Link rubbed his eyes and looked up from the floor, at what was a worried, but smiling Zelda.

"It's okay. I didn't mind." She reassured him. "And I wouldn't be opposed to this happening again, either."

She moved her hair back, and Link felt like his stomach was fluttering everywhere but in a way that all he could think of is how cute that motion was. Well, she was kind of cute all the time. But this hair tuck was new.

"Without the panicking and apologizing, though." Zelda admitted.

Link weakly smiled at her. "T–that's—thank you."

And then his stomach growled. And he realized how insanely hungry he was.

"Did. Did we not eat supper last night."

Zelda's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Oh my Goddess we didn't. No wonder I feel—" she paused and cleared her throat. "...Multiple reasons. Forget that. But no we did not eat last night. I think all we ate yesterday was a breakfast of cold pretzels."

"Dude we're both gonna turn into legal adults this year and neither of us have figured out how to actually EAT!" Link facepalmed, but he was starting to laugh.

Oh goddess he loved her so much. And he actually had confirmation that she didn't mind his silly crush. That something could happen out of this. That maybe she even reciprocated it.

He felt like crying again, but out of happiness and relief this time. Why did he think that she would hate him?! Logically speaking, even if she didn't want anything out of it, she would just be clear about it and keep him as a friend while setting boundaries. Which made perfect sense!

"Oh, I'm an idiot." Link said, grinning so so widely.

"No you're not." Zelda said. "You can be pathetic sometimes but you aren't an idiot. If you were an idiot I would have cut you off a long time ago."

Link looked up.

"Did you just call me pathetic?"

"UM—" Zelda actually blushed enough this time that Link could clearly see it on her face, despite her tan.

"I don't mean that in a bad way! I kind of like it. NOT IN A WEIRD WAY—its just funny to mess with you and also not have a friend who's a guy try and act all hyper-masculine and stuff!"

"Pfffft—" Link started to laugh, "I'm glad you can appreciate it?"

Zelda covered her face, but she was laughing too.

And then Link's stomach hurt again.

"Ow, okay, we need food." He said.

"Agreed."

So the two started looking at Link's phone, huddled up next to each other (Zelda had left the bed and joined Link on the floor), to find a place to eat with the very little money that they had remaining. Eventually they decided to just get some cucco nuggets (because at least it had some protein), at a nearby fast food place.

After that, Link started deflating the air mattress.

"Is it really worth it to deflate that thing when we didn't even ask for it?" Zelda began, waving a hand in the air, "I mean, they gave us rude looks and everything."

"I'm sure they had their reasons." Link said, continuing.

Zelda sighed but didn't have any hard feelings, and then she looked at her phone, as it had buzzed on the nearby nightstand.

"Oh! Alfonzo's texting. In the group chat that you never responded to."

"Wait, did I not respond to his messages?" Link asked, taken slightly aback.

"You talked to him when it was between you two but the moment the group chat was created you kind of forgot." Zelda said, pausing her texting so she could properly form her words.

"Ah, I thought I did. Dammit, he's probably gonna be mad at me."

"I doubt he would be mad over that," Zelda said as Link took out his phone to converse with the man. He read Alfonzo's message first;

• okay i should be there at around 12 where do you want to meet

It was around 9 in the morning, and Link and Zelda looked at each other because neither of them wanted to meet at the inn. In fact, they wanted to leave as soon as possible. Zelda started typing, but Link took it upon himself to actually speak for once.

• we dont know but we're going to get food first and then we can update you • is that okay

Link looked at Zelda, realizing he made the plan in his head and never verbalized it. She looked up from her phone and gave him a thumbs up.

Alfonzo then responded.

• yeah that's fine but make sure to actually update me

Link blinked. Was he actually that forgetful?

• yeah of course, see you soon

He closed out of his phone and Zelda started giggling under her breath. Likely something to do with how Alfonzo spoke to Link.

"I can hear you laughing," Link said, but he wasn't angry.

"Oh, shush." Zelda said. "Let's just go get food."

...

To say it was awkward to leave the inn would be correct. Maybe a bit too mild, actually. There were new workers, but the rumor had clearly spread, whatever it was, and they all gave Link and Zelda some looks. Some were suspicious, others were a smirk, and some were just downright unhappy. Regardless, Zelda thanked the workers (without stopping her walk towards the door) and they quickly made their way out of the building, but not before seeing one of the workers immediately go upstairs in the direction of the room they stayed in.

Zelda shuttered. "Do they really think we're that messed up that they need to check the room as soon as we leave?"

"I dunno," Link said, "I'd also kind of have my suspicions if two teenagers of opposite gender asked for a single room in an inn?"

Zelda sputtered a bit of an awkward and embarrassed laugh.

"Okay okay yeah, that might be my fault then."

Link smiled. He wanted to say something about how he was grateful she did that anyway because of what it led to, but he didn't; that would probably be an odd thing to say and possibly come off way too strong. So he just smiled and then looked at the ground instead of her because he couldn't stop smiling for a bit longer than he wanted to.

After walking in blissful silence (or, as silent as you can get when there's active streets and cars around you constantly) they reached the fast food place.

"Imagine you drove your train here and acted like it was a car in an attempt to get food?" Zelda said, taking Link of his thoughts.

"Hah! I don't think that would go very well." He replied. "Isn't there like a height limit for how tall a vehicle can be for drive-throughs? Or am I misremembering that with bridges? Either way, it would end badly."

"Yeaaah, you're probably right." Zelda sighed. "Would be funny though."

"To you, maybe."

They eventually entered the store and waited for their order.

...it was taking a while. There were a lot of people there trying to get their own breakfast, and so the people making the food were very busy, resulting in Link and Zelda being put on a short, but still inconvenient wait list.

Zelda groaned, resting her head on a table. They were both beyond hungry at this point, and Link hoped she wouldn't snap at him due to hangry-ness. He just felt drained from the lack of sustenance, and it wasn't a stretch to guess that Zelda was feeling the same. Albeit, she was a lot more vocal about it than he was.

"I didn't expect that noise to come from Zelda of all people."

Link looked up. He wasn't the one who said that. In fact, it was some random person who was sitting at their own table, eating their food.

Zelda noticed too.

"HEY! The last time I ate was yesterday's BREAKFAST. LEAVE ME ALONE."

Well, at least it wasn't him she snapped at.

"Please don't start a fight in the middle of a store, Zel..." Link asked.

"M'wont." She said, her voice muffled from being over the table again. "Too tired."

The person laughed and Link almost said something in Zelda's defense, but just ended up glaring at them, which immediately shut them up.

Zelda rolled over to lean her head on him while they both waited for the wait list, shown by a screen at the front of the room, to show their order. Link tried to keep cool about the sudden affection, still going into that rabbit hole of what it meant, but in the end the food was more important at the moment.

Orders were tracked by a number which was printed out on a receipt after you paid. The order Link and Zelda made was 257.

257 was on the screen. It was behind 3 other orders, but those orders would go by fast. And then they would be able to actually eat something.

3.

2.

1.

"257?" A voice called out from the front.

Link and Zelda both immediately stood up and made their way over to the front. Despite being fast food, the nuggets smelled INCREDIBLY good, and Link almost took them out of the bag instantly, but decided he would wait until they both found a spot.

"Can we eat outside?" Zelda asked.

"Oh, yeah sure."

They had walked over across the parking lot towards one of the very few trees that remained in the city. Sitting under it, they split their food in half so each of them would get an equal amount, and they both finished in under 10 minutes.

"Oh my goddess I was SO hungry." Zelda stated, putting the container the food was in back in the bag.

"Yeah I can say the same here." Link said. "Kinda felt like I was getting close to passing out in there."

"Literally! I'm never going that long without food again."

They both laughed, and then realized they should probably figure out where to meet Alfonzo. They had an hour and a half until he said he would show up, so they had time to do one more activity if they so wished.

Link spotted something. It was a sign (no, NOT the type of sign from the incident the day prior) and it said something, but he couldn't tell what it said from the distance he was at, so he got up to check.

"You see something?" Asked Zelda, getting up too.

"A sign. Uh—im curious as to what it says."

They both blushed.

"...Oh we're never going to think of signs correctly anymore, are we." Zelda admitted.

"...Nope."

Getting to the sign, they both began to read the text on it. It said that there was an arts and crafts market spanning from 9 AM to 7 PM, and it had been going from yesterday until tomorrow.

Zelda turned to Link, with an expression that was something between a smirk and a more passive smile.

"This looks fun!" She said.

Link blinked for a moment. "We don't have money."

She paused. "...Right. Well, we could get Alfonzo to meet us there, ask for money and then pay him back once we get home."

Oh. That was actually a good idea. But if he would actually give them the money, Link wasn't sure. Still, it was worth an effort.

Link agreed to that plan, and they looked at the sign further to try and figure out where the market was. Neither of them recognized the name of the location, so they looked it up on the map and found that it was just down the road from here. Getting to the market, it was filled with many decorated stalls and tents, with a very festive energy that both Link and Zelda seemed to enjoy. Both of them quickly updated Alfonzo as to where they were. They would probably be there long enough for him to show up while they were still there.

"Ooh, okay, I'm glad we came here. Even if we don't get anything." Zelda said, grinning.

Link grinned back, and then came to the very sudden realization that he wanted to actually buy her something.

It wouldn't be much, he just wanted to get her something small to show his appreciation for her. Maybe this could be his way of doing so without actually having to verbalize it.

"I wanna wander around," Link bluffed, "should we split up? Get a better view of the area?"

Zelda's expression seemed to fall a bit. At first he thought he had conveyed the wrong message or something, but eventually she spoke to clarify.

"The last time that happened I almost got killed."

"Oh shit—you're right—" he sputtered.

Yeah he wouldn't want a repeat of that.

"—sorry I didn't mean for that to uh..."

"It's okay." Zelda said. "I'd just rather not take my chances right now."

"Plus, don't you wanna spend time with me?" She regained that half smirk from earlier.

Link blushed, yet again.

"Yeah I do."

Zelda beamed in a way that made his stomach flutter again, and the two started to explore the market, side by side.

They first found a booth that had some clay sculptures of various animals and monsters.

Zelda pointed to the miniblin one and looked at Link. He gave her a very distasteful look and she laughed.

"Oh come on, my sculptures aren't that bad!" Said the person who was running the booth, but they weren't upset. It was likely they said that in a joking manner.

"No they're actually quite good!" Link reassured them, "it's kind of an inside joke."

The shopkeeper said an amused "alright" and Link and Zelda moved out of the way because some more people were trying to see the sculptures.

They started wandering deeper into the market, taking a look at the various stalls and tents that sold a variety of different types of arts. One of them was actually some miscellaneous creations out of recycled things like cans and plastic bits, which was very interesting to the both of them.

Eventually they walked past what seemed to be some dreamcatchers created by a Lokomo artist. From what Link understood, the dreamcatchers were supposed to help ward off bad dreams.

Zelda had actually spoken of having nightmares about the whole "being a ghost" thing before. She didn't talk about it often, but Link never forgot. In addition, Link also kind of had reoccurring nightmares about failing to actually protect his loved ones in times where he needed to.

Maybe this would be a good gift? Magic certainly was still a thing in the modern age, and he supposed that if the shopkeeper was selling the dreamcatchers to a wide and general audience it wouldn't be rude to buy one, even if neither of them were Lokomo. He could give this to her as a way of saying "hey I appreciate you very very much and I hope you get less nightmares now", maybe?

But then again, he didn't have any money left, and Zelda was right there. Looking at her, she was reading the description of how the dreamcatchers worked, what they were uses for etc. She seemed intrigued.

Eventually the standstill ended and they both said their good wishes to the shopkeeper before moving onward.

He had to think about how he could get that for her without her noticing. Maybe when Alfonzo shows up he could say he just needed to use the bathroom or something and then buy it when they were both occupied? Oh, no, he still needed to get money somehow. This would be quite difficul...

Zelda grabbed his hand. Not in a sudden way, but just to hold it.

This was different from when she grabbed his hand on the bridge. This wasn't to assist him, this was purely because she wanted to.

Link, wrapping his fingers around her own, finally got the courage to look up at her. She smiled warmly in an almost nervous way, but not one of them said a word. If Link had to guess, neither of them had the confidence to.

Was this a good time to confess?

Link knew had had to at some point. He wasn't planning to even yesterday, but after everything had happened he knew he was safe to say it. He just had to get his voice to work.

But he didn't. He didn't say anything. And Zelda didn't say anything either. They just continued exploring the market, looking at all the cool crafts, hands intertwined.

Eventually Alfonzo messaged them.

They both let go of each other's hand to check the message, and he said he was here. At the market. So, it was probably a good idea they stopped holding hands when they got the message. Link didn't know how in Hylia's name Alfonzo would react to his adopted kid suddenly doing romantic things with his best friend.

"He's here." Zelda said. "Guess we should probably meet him at the entrance?"

"Good idea." Responded Link.

They started yapping a bunch again after they began to walk back to the entrance, as if nothing had happened. A bunch of random conversations and just enjoying each other's company.

Eventually the 3 met up.

Alfonzo hopped out of his car at the sight of the two, safe and unharmed.

"Are you two alright? No injuries?" He asked.

"I'm good." Zelda said, and then turned to Link so he could answer for himself.

"I'm also good." He said, giggling a bit at Zelda.

Alfonzo then eyed the two suspiciously. Link instantly felt a pit in his stomach—he knew that Alfonzo knew, and he didn't know WHAT the guy was going to say.

"...What did you guys do?"

Zelda choked a bit on what somehow was sudden stilfed laughter. Link just looked away, probably showing every shade of red in the viewable color spectrum.

Shit. He just viewed their reactions. This was gonna be so humiliating.

"Hey Link." Alfonzo started. "Walk with me for a sec."

Fuuuuuuuuuuck.

He didn't even wait to be out of earshot from Zelda before he started confronting Link.

"Okay so I'm getting this like... weirdly romantic vibe from how you two are lookin' at each other and stuff." He said, talking with his hands just as much as his words. "You wanna fill me in on what happened?"

Link was panicking, to put it lightly. Alfonzo and Niko had adopted him when he was under a year old—he never understood why other than the fact that Link was just left somewhere on the side of the road and no one was willing to take him in other than Niko (who eventually convinced Alfonzo), so to them he was probably still seen as younger than he was. Not only that, but Alfonzo was very ignorant of boundaries; he never knocked on doors before entering rooms, and he was... Link didn't want to be rude, but, nosy?

All this to say that he had no shot of mentally surviving the next hour if he told the truth. But Link sucked at lying, so the truth was the only option.

"Uh—so—we aren't exactly—but—" he wasn't doing this very well at all.

"Nothing much happened—actually wait that's a lie—but—"

"So what did happen?"

Link swallowed all of his pride.

"We... slept... in the same bed...?"

Alfonzo let out a very exhausted sigh. "That's all?"

"As-of-now-yes." Link explained, combining the words together as fast as possible to end this conversation.

"I should have expected that." Alfonzo admitted. "You haven't taken your eyes off her since you saved the province."

If Link wasn't blushing beforehand, he was definitely blushing now. Was he actually that obvious?

They both just waited for the other to say something.

Alfonzo waited.

Link waited.

Alfonzo—

"Can I borrow money." Link plainly stated.

Alfonzo gave him a look. "...How much? And will you pay me back?"

"Obviously!" Link exclaimed, "paying you back was my intention when I asked. Uh..."

Link tried to remember how much one of the dreamcatchers cost. They were quite small, probably being able to fit in the palm on his hand. So that wouldn't cost, much, right? 15 rupees at the most? That sounded right.

"15...?"

"Deal. I will be reminding you daily if you forget though." Alfonzo confirmed.

Alfonzo took out his wallet and gave Link what was the sum of 15 rupees.

"Dont be an idiot." He said. "I'll be waiting at the car."

Alfonzo then solemnly walked away towards where he parked his car. Link took that as an opportunity to run over to buy the thing before Zelda noticed.

Luckily, Link actually overestimated the price and the dreamcatchers were actually 10 rupees for one, rather than 15. The shopkeeper gave a mischievous laugh when Link bought it, leaving him with questions that were left unanswered. Regardless, he thanked them and went to go check on Zelda and Alfonzo at the entrance.

Alfonzo was there.

Zelda was not.

"Where'd—" Link started to ask, scared that something happened. She didn't want to be left alone for a reason—and she was just—

"Bathroom." Alfonzo answered.

Oh. Okay so he kind of got worked up over nothing.

Link hopped in the backseat (hoping him and Zelda would both sit in the back) while Alfonzo kept watching for Zelda. She came back rather quickly, and after seeing Link in the car she walked around to the other side, where she sat next to him.

"You two ready to go home?" Alfonzo asked.

They both responded with a drawn out tired "yes". While it was a fun trip and Link would never forget the things that happened on this detour, he was ready to go home. Zelda was too, it seemed. It made sense, he got the feeling that she still didn't feel safe being in Windfall after the whole demon incident. So they both were tired and just wanted to go home.

Oh. He should probably give Zelda the gift he got her.

"Uh... I got you something." He said, taking his backpack off (where he had hid the dreamcatcher) and reaching into it to try and find the bag it was in.

Zelda's eyes widened.

"I actually got you something too. I thought you didn't have money though—?" She shifted her position a bit. "I managed to find a few rupees left in the bottom of my bag that I had forgotten about. That's how I bought it."

She eyed the bag in Link's hands.

"Oh my goddess—hold on—"

She got our her gift too. Which was. The same bag.

"Did we just get each other the same thing?!" Link asked, laughing a bit. "Wait, is THAT why the shopkeeper laughed at me?!"

"I think so! Open it!" She shoved the bag in his hands, and he allowed her to take her bag.

Opening it, yes, they both got each other dreamcatchers. Link got a more brown and blue one while he gave Zelda a pink and yellow one.

They smiled at each other, Link specifically a bit embarrassed at the fact that they had the same idea, but happy all the same.

"I was thinking... cause you told me you get nightmares." He started, averting eye contact, "and after everything—I uh—I wanted to show that I appreciate you."

He covered his face and Zelda laughed.

"I was thinking that you were interested in them because you kept looking at them so much." She told him. "But the fact that you were looking at them because you wanted to get me one is a lot sweeter. And funny."

"If you two start making out back there I will drop you both in the river."

Link made a noise of what could only be described as a cut off yelp kind of scream, and Zelda let out a very loud "PFFFFFT" before laughing at what Alfonzo had said.

"That wasn't what I was planning—" she managed to speak, while Link just sat there looking out the window in embarrassment.

"I would hope not." Alfonzo continued, "at least not while you're in my car. Do whatever you want when you're NOT in my car."

Well at least he was supportive? In his own little way. Zelda was laughing even further.

"Can we please just start heading home? And not talk about this?" Link pleaded, covering his face by putting his hat over his head.

Alfonzo actually laughed at this. "Yeah, alright. Just behave back there."

He then turned around and gave them both a genuine smile before shaking his head (while still smiling) and starting the car.

His armor stays locked within its chest as the valet dresses him for court. He’s quick in grabbing their heir from the maid who has prepared her for this occasion. They will be holding her coronation today at the prime age of eight. She looks so much like her mother at that age. His words are firm in command as he delegates how her siblings need to be handled while he takes care of Zelda. The maids have always been good to their children and they have stepped up even more with the loss of his wife.

His steps are sure and confident, her small hands clutching upon his shirt as they make their way towards her coronation only to be stopped as one of those very noblemen dare to step in front of him clearly thinking now that his wife has passed that he need no longer wait for his king to address him before speaking let alone waiting to rise.

“Sire, don’t you think this might be a bit hasty?”

The press of tongue against the roof of his mouth is harsh and his teeth grind in an attempt to keep his temper in check, “Zelda, my wife and your late Queen, has been dead for a month. We can no longer delay Princess Zelda’s coronation. . . Unless there is something you seek to gain by delaying us?”

There’s the sudden flash of realization that crosses the nobleman’s face as he remembers that he does, in fact, stand before a King. The kneel of his head has him trembling as he mutters low, “Not at all, Sire.”

His hold upon their daughter tightens as he walks around the arrogant man, “Dismissed.”

He is not in need of safety from these men who dare to waylay and pounce him. His deeds and valor speak enough to his capabilities. Handing off his daughter has her letting out a muffled but scared sound at having been taken from her father’s arms so abruptly. There’s immediate need crawling across his skin to take her back but he cannot. She must be prepared to step forward without him to take her mother’s crown and place.

Fingers linger within his pocket as he feels his wife’s earrings cool against his skin and waiting to be handed down to their new owner. They hold the shape of the Triforce. The very symbol that also sits upon the door way of The Temple of Time, and on the floor where the Master Sword resides in place. He remembers the way they shined as they danced so many long years ago deep in the gardens of her castle. He was not her husband then, he was just a young man who had made his way back to her side after having left her years prior to find his fairy. He never found his fairy, but he had found her time and time again through two different timelines.

She had grown as beautifully as she had in the first timeline. He remembers how she felt that night—small, slender, and soft—as he spun them slowly among the glow of the moon and fireflies. Her headdress had glided delicately behind her as those honey gold strands flowed with the movements of their awkward and unpracticed waltz. If he had been caught he would have been seized by the guards but that had never dissuaded him when it came to her. He had been mesmerized by her the moment they had met as children and besotted, though it did not express the depth of what he felt for her, when he became a young man. As they had extended out held together by only finger tips she had shifted her head meeting his gaze sending his heart soaring and making his blood course throughout his veins. It had possessed him to stop this dance of theirs once she had spun back within his reach to bring her close. The sparkle of those earrings when the moonlight hit them and the coolness of them against his hand as he tangled his fingers into her hair was so vivid to him even now.

His throat constricts painfully at the memory and it takes great effort to swallow it down as he stands far too out in the open with eyes looking for any weakness to seize upon. When his daughter is brought back to him he sets her down sliding those earrings out from his pocket. He whispers softly just for her to hear as he works at putting them within her ears, “These were your Mother’s. . .” he struggles to finish the sentence as he watches her eyes fill with tears, “And now they’re—they’re yours.”

Her voice wobbles as she puts her hand on his as if to stop him from putting them in, “If I don’t take them will mommy come back?”

The tear that falls down her face almost makes his own spill over but he cannot let that happen, “No. It doesn’t work like that.” the scrunch of her face has his heart slamming against his chest painfully. He has defeated all kinds of monsters. He has saved this world and a parallel world before, but he cannot defeat the pain she feels with her mother no longer present. He cannot save her from this loss.

He is gentle as he cups her face using his thumbs to wipe her tears but taking care not to ruin the makeup they’ve applied. Zelda had been so much better at soothing them and now he has to figure it out. He has to figure all of this out now that she is gone.

A throat clearing grabs his attention making tension shoot throughout his muscles. He takes his time to finish putting in the last earring before releasing his child to those who will get her in place. He will be acting regent for his daughter now instead of his wife. This change while not truly different feels monumental—as if he’s letting go of her.

He must protect her legacy, though. Even if that means letting even more of her slip through his fingers.

The ceremony begins and he’s taken his place. Those wide doe eyes his daughter was gifted from her mother are obvious and it shows how ill prepared her movements forward are even after he had practiced with her days before. The choir of those here to gaze upon their next ruler ring out, “Goddesses Save the Queen.”

His daughter promises to rule by the law, and with mercy. She does not even know what she’s agreed to but there is time for that. He will make sure she’s taught everything she needs to know to fill those impossibly large shoes her mother left for her. The coronation chair she sits in is so large compared to her small frame and short legs. Those earrings sparkle as the sun pours in bright and warm on all of them and he can only hope this warmth is a sign his wife is blessing their daughter and protecting her even now.

When they anoint her he sees the way she flinches and it’s another test of self control not to intervene. If he could of delayed this longer he would have but it had been too long to begin with, and he knows that his inability to find more ways to delay this is him failing as a father. That gold robe is too heavy for her, and far too large for a child. The items they make her hold are equally too big and clearly something she’s struggling to hold up as the smallest trembles make themselves present upon her arms. As if to see if they can crush her with such ornaments they then place the overly large crown upon her head.

He sees the way her eyes widen in discomfort as the weight settles against her head and presses against her small neck as they try their best to find a way to make it stay on her instead of swallowing her. The tightening of his fingers presses them painfully against his palms, and the trepidation that comes over him is real as he watches them escort her to her throne chair. She’s stumbling under the weight of it all even as they do their best to help escort her.

Her eyes cling to him as they take her further from his side but she won’t have to wait long as he’ll be beside her now. The hard part is almost finished. He remembers his own coronation and she’s already done a better job than him. She’ll always be better than him because she is her mother’s daughter.

The crown on his head weighs heavier than he remembers. There is no doubt it is because he now no longer has half of it’s responsibilities but instead all of them and more now that he must plays protector for their children. The color in his daughter’s face is pale and he can only hum quietly in hopes it’ll give her some kind of distraction from the clear nerves that have seized her with so many eyes on her.

The senior officials have truly preened themselves for this occasion. They sing praises and pay homage to their newly crowned monarch. It would be sweet if he didn’t know they were snakes waiting to swallow her whole. There’s a fidget as one says something that he’s missed and that’s all it takes to slam his gaze upon the being who would dare make her so visibly uncomfortable.

The crane of his neck is not subtle, capturing the courts attention as he stares down half-lidded upon the offender, and that’s enough to silence the chatter, “Would you care to repeat that?”

It’s a beat, and then another. The silence is deafening and it’s only because such silence weighs too heavily upon his daughter, making her twist her fingers within her skirts, that he breaks it, “This is a joyous occasion to celebrate your newly appointed Queen. You must have gotten overzealous in your excitement.”

The official is quick to cower before them singing praises of his departed wife and his hopes to see this little Queen’s reign. He’s also quick to agree in being overzealous making the court room explode in sounds once again as he removes himself to allow the next to pay homage to her.

A few more grace her with respect but keep their attention on him more than her trying to gauge what kind of sovereign he’ll be now that his wife isn’t in control. The scene earlier has made them weary and uncertain of what they thought they knew. He had chosen to let his wife handle court most often, but now he would be forced to sink or swim in it. Sinking is not an option. This first step is to make it clear who has control, and that it is widely known. That display earlier is the first of many moves to come.

His jaw aches from the forced expression he’s kept plastered since his power play. There’s no missing his daughters own tire and exhaustion. Her small body had begun to twitch from having been forced to sit still for too long. It’s finally over and done with, though, and that’s all that matters. They’ve gotten through this first hurtle. The maid who hands her to him after she’s removed all of the embellishments and prepared her for bed stands before him with an uncomfortable expression and it’s as he takes her from the maids hands that he whispers low, “Speak.”

She lowers her head in deference, “Your Grace, I dare not.”

The tension in his shoulders builds as this maid declines to speak. It’s a fleeting glance to his daughter and a soft murmur that only the three of them can hear. “Place your hands upon your ears.”

It takes a second but his daughter complies and that’s enough for him to nod his head to her, to please just speak of what troubles her. The shifting of weight between her legs isn’t well hidden nor is the way her fingers dare to fidget under his gaze, “I do not dare pretend I understand nor criticize you, Sire. . . She’s just never seen you so—so stern.”

The flutter of his lids escapes his self-control and his gaze lingers upon his daughters face as he takes in what this maid has said. It’s not just exhaustion. There’s swelling and a redness to the lids. She had been crying to her maid. He had frightened her. It’s a pause he doesn’t mean to make leaving the maid clearly scared that she’s overstepped by telling him, “Thank you. You’re dismissed.”

She’s quick to make herself scarce from him, and he takes this as his chance to pull one of Zelda’s hands from her ears, “Come, my little Queen.”

Her new title is awkward on his tongue, but he knows he must adjust to this change and do it quickly. Silence sits between them as he sets out for her room and the nuzzle of her head against his neck is laced in sleep as she whispers to him, “Is my maid in trouble?”

His fingers brush her hair from her face before taking hold of her hand, “No. . .I’m sorry.” and that tension from earlier is back upon those incredibly tiny shoulders before she squeezes closer to him, “There may be times when I have to become scary. I know you do not understand, but I must do this to keep you and your brothers safe.”

She doesn’t answer him. She just lays against him fiddling with his collar. He helps remove her newly acquired earrings before laying her in bed. Those tiny fingers grab upon his sleeve, “Are you sure she won’t come back if I don’t take them?”

He bends down to make himself level with her as she lays there. His fingers pull her hand gently from his sleeve to place it back upon her sheets before settling upon her forehead, his thumb rubbing soothingly upon her, “I miss her too. . .but these were always meant to become yours since the moment you were born. They’re an heirloom that’s been passed down over and over again, from mother to daughter.”

There’s hesitance and fresh tears pooling, “Where is mommy’s mommy?”

Inhaling deeply he begins petting her head hoping it’ll provide her comfort, “She died when your mother was young.”

The bite upon her lip comes and then it quivers as the tears finally fall, “Does this mean I’ll die too?”

The question steals the air from his lungs and he’s frantic to pull her to him as if doing so will lessen this new found fear that he’s given life to unknowingly, “No—that’s not what that means. You won’t die. You’ll grow up and you’ll live for a very long time.” he rocks her back and forth pressing kisses upon the crown of her head wishing his wife was here to help alleviate this new found fear.

She’s not here to do that, though, so it’s on him. There is only him now left to protect her. He’ll keep her safe. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep that from ever being something that haunts her. It’s not until he’s sure she’s deep in sleep that he settles her back in bed, and even then he stays there watching her sleep and counting the breaths she takes to be completely sure.

Those earrings are in his pocket. He does not want them too far from him while she’s still young. When she’s older he’ll trust her to care and maintain them. His legs walk him passed his bedroom. They walk through the halls dead in the night. None of the guards dare to question where he’s headed. They keep their gazes firmly ahead as if he is not even there. He cannot be far away from his children right now, but he’ll take this moment for himself.

That garden they danced in looks the same as it had back then outside of being out of season for fireflies. He stands there, right in the middle where he had waltzed with her, pulling out those earrings he loved on her so much. He cradles them as if they are too delicate to even be within his hands.

This kingdom will survive her loss and so will he. —Yes, so will he.

Because he has to survive it if he hopes to stand firm and as a wall of defense for their daughter—their newly appointed Queen—and two boys.

His vision blurs as his eyes burn with unshed tears and the shake of his hands an echo of his body trembling against his will. His knees are weak as his bottom lip tremors in a losing battle to reign himself in. It was right here she had shifted those pale blue eyes to meet his gaze sending his heart soaring all those years ago but now she’s not. She’s not here. She’s left him alone to fight by himself. She has left him to play protector for their small children—alone.

So very much alone.

His self restraint cracks as his knees collide with the ground and his hands clasp tightly around her earrings. The lamentation he lets out is filled with all the grief and anguish he’s been forced to lock away deep inside from not only himself but everyone else, most especially his children.

It’s a heartbreak that is entirely different from the one his children find themselves chase by. His clasped hands press against his chest as he curls in on himself, and its here and now that he finally loses himself in the mourning he’s been robbed of up until now. His tears are hot and ugly flooding his entire being and this place they had shared. His brows knit in frustration, and anger at having been left behind by her even thought he knows it’s not her fault. It’s not as if she had wanted to die.

Opening his trembling hands those earrings stare back at him as his tears drop over them. He mutters a plea as if she were here right in front of him, “What do I do? Tell me what do I do!?” He repeats it over and over again rocking himself in the way he had for their daughter as if it might now give him the comfort he needs. It doesn’t and that makes the words he chokes out harsher, “I cannot do this without you! I can’t even stop myself from scaring our daughter!”

The anguished shout he releases comes from deep inside his diaphragm and is unbearably loud. So loud it is impossible for someone to have not heard him, but he’s so blinded in his tribulation that it never even becomes a thought. A plea desperate to find solid purchase as it hangs from a cliff lingers in the air, “Please, Zelda. . .”

He never makes it to his bed. He just sits a fool kneeling and curled into himself on the grass lost in sorrow. He does not move even after he’s exhausted himself to the point he has no more tears to shed. The sun rising is the only thing that makes him realize he has to regain control. His children will rise soon, and he cannot let them see him like this. He shouldn’t let anyone see him, but that is unavoidable. His throat is hoarse and sore and his knees hurt from being on them for hours. He needs a warm cloth to help lower the swelling of his lids. He can feel how stiff and large they are every time he blinks.

The guards do not speak a word when they see the mess he’s made of himself as he makes his way passed them. The valet who sees his face as he heads towards him stands frozen not even daring to breathe before following at his side the moment his hand motions for him to.

The valet gets to work on him quickly the minute they enter the room. A warm cloth to clean his face. A brush through his tangled hair. A bath drawn to wash away the sweat and outside from him. Tea to sooth his hoarse throat. Not once has this man attempted to separate him from her earrings. He knows how to read the situation. The valet is meticulous and he’s quiet as he works.

He says nothing but gives the valet a look as he takes a sip of the tea they’ve brewed hoping he can feel the sincerity he has for the work that has been performed. The look on the valet’s face guts him. It makes shame burn upon his ears as he wonders if he’ll be forced to sit here drinking this tea with pity staring back at him, but then the valet walks to the door not even waiting to be dismissed. They pause and look over their shoulder.

He does not wait for permission to speak, “There is no shame in mourning her, your Grace. . .” and then he leaves without another word.

Bitterness blooms across his face as his cup lingers at his lips. His eyes fall upon her earrings he laid upon the small table in front of him. The flutter of his lids come before he holds them closed tightly, trying to battle the urge to lose his self-restraint once more.