#bmtr

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Aglow in the soft morning light, Zelda woke him up for the very first time. His heart had nearly stopped when he opened his eyes and saw her at his side, as his wife. Of all the most unbelievable things that'd happened to him, this was by far the greatest.

That small, pleased smile was on her lips as she looked at him. A sheet was demurely pinned to her chest and her dark hair spilled over the pillows, tickling his shoulder in a way that made his stomach tighten.

He reached out to cradle her cheek, exalting in the softness of it, in the way her mouth soundlessly parted to shape an "oh."

As he watched his thumb sweep across her bottom lip, he thought back to the night before. The way those lips had kissed him, the way her mouth had parted with noises he'd never expected to hear from her and words he'd never thought she'd say.

Zelda loved him. The affirmation pulled the earth out from under him.

"Good morning, Zelda."

His morning voice was hoarse and rugged, making goosebumps erupt over her skin. She didn't know such a small thing could make her feel so flustered.

When her smile stretched, his thumb slid to the corner of her lips, but his hand still held her cheek and he was still looking at her like he couldn't believe she was really there.

"Will you continue to call me by my name now that we're wed?"

He paused to think. "What would you like me to call you?"

His hand dropped to her sternum when Zelda reclined on the mattress and did an endearing little stretch. Humming thoughtfully, she angled herself between facing him and looking up at the canopy.

"I wouldn't mind it either way. It's just that some couples use terms of endearment."

A sheepish grin found his lips, but he shrugged in a nonchalant, boyish type of way. "I can. I just like saying your name."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was nervous when you first said I could." She flashed him a curious look, and so he explained, "It felt sort of - well, I don't know, forbidden."

"'Forbidden?'"

A flustered chuckle escaped him, though he managed to squash it down to a smile. "I was just waiting for them to throw me back in the dungeon."

Zelda laughed, causing Link's laughter to burst free of its feeble restraints. She shook her head, but there was love in her eyes.

"I like it when you say my name, too."

His amusement faltered in favor of his fluster. As his expression softened, his eyes traveled back to her mouth, like it had its own gravitational pull.

"Zelda."

She took a trembling breath.

And then he was moving - carefully, methodically, as if in slow motion. One arm perched onto her pillow and the other reached around to the other side, framing her head and dragging the covers with him.

With a dip of his head, he kissed her. He was tender, moving against her with slow, careful strokes and the gentle rocking of his hips, and Zelda dreamily moved with him.

His fingers were teasing the locks at her hairline, and the ticklish touch made her smile against him. Keen to return the favor, her hands threaded around his shoulders to the nape of his neck. It drew a shiver from him.

He separated from her slowly, eyes lidded and dazed.

"I love you, Zelda," he murmured. "You know that?"

"I believe I heard that somewhere."

He shook his head with a grin.

"Any thoughts?"

"Hmm?"

Dropping his forehead to hers, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "About me loving you."

"Oh..." There was a pause where she pretended to think about it. "Only that I love you too."

Link let out a soft breath that, if she were not nose to nose with him, she might've not heard. He leaned against her cheek before planting a soft kiss on it, then dragged his lips towards her neck.

It drew the most pleased, exalted sigh from her, and she was smiling dreamily while she angled her head to help.

"Link," she sighed. "You know I'll have to get up eventually."

"Mmm, maybe tomorrow."

"What about all the paperwork?"

"We can hide it." He paused. "Or burn it."

Zelda laughed incredulously.

"Do you intend to keep me here all day?"

"…Is that an option?"

She managed to flip him onto his back. She wasn't quite straddling him, but she was hovering above him at his side and her legs were brushing his. Link could only look up at her with wonder.

Zelda looked like a statue, draped in the white sheet and perfectly sculpted, with her hair falling to the side like a shimmering curtain.

But there was a pretty pink color to her pale cheeks and shoulders that showed she was very much made of flesh and not stone.

"I have duties to attend to," she stated matter-of-factly.

"What if we just run away?"

Another laugh escaped her.

"You've been prince for a day and already you're willing to step down?"

He smiled handsomely. "I made it that far?"

She couldn't help it: she kissed him again. Really, Zelda thought she could kiss him forever if they had the time.

But to her surprise, his hand started to move up her side, sliding ever so slowly over the rippling white cotton sheet. It stopped below her armpit and coiled to rest gently on her upper back.

Then his finger carefully, and yet daringly, dipped into the makeshift neckline.

Her breath caught. Just the light graze of his knuckle against her bare skin made her knees weak.

"Do you really have to go?"

She surprised herself by stopping to consider it. Every day came with new stacks of paperwork and meetings that she had to spend hours upon hours trudging through. It was part of her role as the queen of a large and bountiful kingdom.

But when she thought about it, she realized there wasn't anything particularly pressing that day. There were no court proceedings or petitions, and her meetings weren't scheduled until the early afternoon.

And the pile of paperwork wasn't going anywhere, that was for certain.

No one would fault her for staying in just an hour or so.

For a second, she pondered whether it was scheduled that way intentionally. Did her advisor know it'd be impossible to get out of bed the morning after their wedding? The thought made her blush.

"No," she said at last, breathless. "Not yet."

Link swallowed. His gaze bore into hers, trying to determine whether she wanted to stay a little longer.

But she truly did. Her body was thrumming with unsated desire, and just looking at Link warm and tousled in their bed made her want to pick up right where they left off last night.

To prove herself, she unraveled her fist around the sheet. He drew a breath, his gaze caught on the slight movement. Like the fall of a feather, it slid down her body and fell languidly to the mattress around her.

Zelda was utterly bare beneath. Though he knew she was, the sight had his heart hammering wildly in his chest.

While last night she was bathed in firelight, now she was aglow in the gentle daylight streaming in through the voile curtains. Her figure was haloed by a white glow, highlighting her wispy, disheveled hair.

He could see her so clearly now, could make out every color on her skin and in her hair. He was startled by how infinitely beautiful she was.

As his bashful gaze found hers, Link pushed himself up to sit with her. His pulse was thrumming uncontrollably and he silently urged it to settle.

"You're beautiful," he murmured with more air than voice. He'd said it last night and he'd say it again. It was impossible not to, when struck by the blatant fact over and over.

It set butterflies free in her stomach. Zelda found herself reaching for him and took hold of his broad shoulders. Shuffling forward, she straddled his lap and captured his lips.

Link drew a surprised breath as their lips collided before his eyes fluttered closed and his hands fanned over her bare back. He let out a sated sigh.

It was like he was basking in sunlight: her gentle warmth bathed his skin and coursed throughout his entire body.

A hand moved upwards until he was gently holding the back of her head. Strands of her chestnut hair poured over the back of his hand, sifting like sand between his fingers. She let her head fall back into his palm, exalting in its gentle cradle.

When Zelda parted from him, Link whispered in earnest, "I wish we could stay like this forever…" His eyes dropped to her lips. "I'd kiss you all day if I could."

"Among other things, I'm sure," she cheekily replied.

His cheeks darkened, but he smiled: he wasn't going to deny it.

"I want to make you feel good. Seeing you like that last night..." He shuddered with pleasure, and Zelda felt it rake through her body. "I'd do anything to see you like that again."

They've only shared a bed for a night, but already Link seemed quite talkative in it. It was a delightful surprise.

Enthused by his declaration, she kissed him deeply, passionately. Her tongue dipped past his parted lips and teased his with quick, light movements. The slick contact was exhilarating; it had them reeling for more.

Link's hand coiled around and covered her breast. Just the light touch made him groan, his eyes clenching shut. Her breast was incredibly silky smooth and malleable, pliable to his groping and gentle tugging.

Zelda moaned softly into his mouth. For her, the pleasure was only enhanced by the fact that it was Link doing this.

It was the kind and gentle rancher growing hard against her thigh; it was the strong, unwavering hero moaning into her mouth. It was the man she loved dearly who was touching her like she were pretty and desirable.

The thought was incomparable.

When they parted, Link's gaze danced over her face. There was clearly something on his mind, but she was oblivious to it, looking at him doe-eyed and breathless.

She figured it out only moments later when he dipped his head and took her untouched breast into his mouth. Zelda gasped, taken off guard by the wet seal of his lips as he began to gently suckle on her nipple.

His hand splayed over the middle of her back, keeping her steady while simultaneously pushing her further into him.

Shutting her eyes, she grimaced and moaned, unable to bear the pleasure. She pressed the back of her hand to her lips in a lame effort to muffle all the indecent noises she was making.

Considering the soft noises emitting from him, Link was more than content to remain latched onto her breast, but the mounting pleasure left Zelda in need of more.

Without much thought, she rolled her hips and slid her wet core along his thigh.

"Oh gods," Link gasped, the sudden exclamation cutting off his ministrations. "You're so wet."

Her face turned bright red in embarrassment, but Link's eyes were swirling with both desire and amazement.

"Can I touch you?"

"Yes."

Zelda shifted herself off his thigh, and his hand slithered between their bodies, tickling her stomach. At the first touch, they shared in a sharp inhale. His fingers danced over the bud she introduced him to last night before he tentatively started to stroke it.

"Does that feel good?" he asked softly, his eyes flitting between hers.

"Mmm…yes…"

Slowly, he slid further down her seam and gently teased her entrance. She was already wet enough to coat his fingers, and when he pressed into her, his finger easily dipped into her wet passage. He suppressed a groan as it slid all the way in.

"What about this?"

Zelda tightly shut her lips and nodded, trying to regain control. But already she was lost to his touch. Though he used just one of his fingers, it was thicker and longer than hers, filling her better, and the rough calluses were far more stimulating.

Carefully, he began to pump his finger in and out of her. He guided her head to rest on his shoulder, gently combing through her hair, as Zelda rolled her hips in time with his thrusts.

"That's it," he coaxed.

There was something indecent about the way he spoke, as if he were soothing his mare. It was unintentional, she knew, but it still made her cheeks flare up in embarrassment.

"Please." She wasn't exactly sure what she was asking for. She just wanted more.

He rested his cheek against her hair and asked her softly, in earnest, "Do you want another?"

She nodded against him, burying her face in his shoulder. "Yes…"

Readily, he slid another finger inside, and it emitted a wet sound that made his stomach tighten. He began to thrust again, savoring the heat and tightness of her passage. He wanted to burn the shape of her passage into his mind, to commit every spot that made her buck her hips to memory.

Suddenly, his fingers slid out of her and back through her folds, diverging to either side of her clitoris. The slickness of his fingers made it easier to tease her. Her hips involuntarily jerked up with a powerful shudder and Zelda sprang off his shoulder.

Her voice jumped. "Link."

"Is that good?"

Zelda nodded again, and so he doubled down and quickened his movements. Already, she was close. Intense pleasure was building within her, curling her toes and stealing her breath.

Her lips were tightly pressed as she rocked against his hand, forgetting her shame and chasing her pleasure instead.

Then, it happened.

With a cry, Zelda arched and threw her head back. Entranced, Link could only watch in amazement. She wrapped her legs around his hardened chest and grinded against it in a desperate search for friction.

"Zelda...!" he choked out.

The feeling of her hot, sweaty body writhing against him was too intense. Pleasure shot through him in a sudden, sharp jolt, making him fear he'd climax. But by some miracle, he managed to grit his teeth and suppress it.

It helped that Zelda started to come down from her peak, and her intense quivering waned into the occasional spasm. As she tried to catch her breath, she slackened around him, releasing the tight hold she had on his body.

There was a moment of stillness as Zelda settled down, when Link simply gazed upon her with absolute awe.

"I'll never get used to that," he murmured at last.

"What do you mean?"

"Just-" When he started to clarify, his face turned bright red. He'd blurted out the words before realizing how perverse they were. "You look so pretty when you…you know."

Her mouth fell open. "L-Link…" she stammered.

Zelda was surprised to hear Link say something of that caliber, and judging by his face, which had reddened to the point that it seemed like steam was coming off his cheeks, he was equally surprised to admit it. And yet, despite the indecency of his words, her blood ran hot.

Taking hold of his cheeks, she angled his head towards his shoulder and weaved in to catch his lips. The lustful breath she emitted, matched with their proximity, made him groan. She kissed him again and again, leaving him chasing her lips with soft grunts and furrowed brows.

Then, Zelda started to drag a hand down his chest, grazing him gently with her fingertips. He stiffened, his breath drawn. He quickly figured out where she was headed, and it took a great deal of control not to break the kiss.

When she found his lap, her hand gently wrapped around his shaft. It was stiff and aching between his legs, so desperate for her touch that he immediately bucked up into it. He gasped then, unable to help it, and cut an end to their stream of kisses.

Keeping her hold light, she slowly started to stroke him. He bit his lip, trying desperately to hold back the shameful sounds climbing up his throat. But he couldn't stop the way his hips canted up to match every slide of her hand.

When her hand twisted to the underside of his member and swept up to the tip, he shuddered. Zelda smiled.

"Would you like to hear what I enjoyed?"

Breath shallow, his eyes dropped to her lips. He had no idea what she was talking about. "What…?"

"You told me you enjoyed watching me finish." His blush returned with a vengeance. That certain detail, which would haunt him later for sure, had briefly slipped his mind. "Now it's my turn to confide."

Almost afraid to hear it, Link stammered, "W-What is it?"

She removed her hand from him, leaving him bucking up with need. Wide-eyed, he made the most endearing, confused noise.

Zelda leaned in, her lips lightly brushing his cheek, and whispered dangerously, "When you finished inside of me."

Just from her words, Link felt a rush of pleasure. An intense shudder raked through him, and he was suddenly relieved that she stopped stroking him. It might've been enough to end it right there.

"I did too…"

"I want you to do it again."

Link swore for the first time in front of her. Judging by her amused smile, though, she wasn't offended.

"Zelda…" He groaned. "But – well, aren't you worried about getting pregnant?"

Admittedly, Link only barely registered that particular concern last night. And to be perfectly honest, the thought of having a child with her made him happier than it should, considering they had just wed.

But he felt like he should ask anyway: he wanted to be responsible.

Her eyes lidded and locked on his lips. "It's okay," she murmured. "I've been taking a contraceptive elixir."

He didn't know what to say to that. It was strangely arousing. When did she start taking that exactly?

"I want you," she said, effectively intersecting his train of thought. "Please. Don't make me wait any longer."

Quiet, hoarse, and a little bit desperate, he whined, "I want you too."

Her small smile softened. Link placed his hands on her hips to steady her as she pushed herself up and guided his member to her entrance.

Just the initial contact, in which his hard tip slid over her soft, wet folds, sent a jolt through them both. Holding their breath, their gazes snapped to one another.

"Go slow," he warned, brows furrowed with concern. Despite his overwhelming desire, he couldn't help but worry about the pain she felt the night before. "I don't want to hurt you."

Zelda nodded. But as she eased down onto his member, she didn't feel that sharp pain. There was only a strange stretching sensation as she acclimated to having him inside her.

As his large, thick member flooded her tight, warm passage, every nerve between them was stimulated. Her moan lingered during the slow descent towards his lap until she was suddenly filled, and her mouth fell open with a gasp.

"Are you okay?" Link said, strained.

His eyes searched her face to discern whether that was a gasp of pain or pleasure. But Zelda could only nod.

"How do you feel?"

"So full," she gasped.

Her words made Link groan.

"Zelda."

Shaking her hair off her shoulders, she started to move. It was just a slow grind of her hips, but it was enough to make them light-headed. He could only watch in amazement, his eyes wide and lips parted.

But staring wasn't enough for her. Her hands flattened on either side of his head and brought his face close to hers. Their eyes were locked and their gaping mouths hovered only an inch apart, allowing their quick, hot breaths to gather in the space between.

And then, Zelda tilted his head and pressed his open mouth to hers. Their tongues flattened against one another before twirling around each other, and the slick tangle of nerves sent pleasure surging through them both.

Suddenly, she pushed herself up on her knees and sank down on him. The new angle and the depth to which he reached caused her to break off their kiss with a broken cry.

"Z-Zelda," he said with a grunt.

He peered at her through creased eyes as she repeated the motion, over and over, pushing herself up his length before impaling herself again.

"It feels so good, Link." Her voice had a heady, sultry air, and her breathing was getting shallower. Her usual eloquent, flowery speech seemed to evade her, leaving her to simply say what she felt. "You feel so good."

"You do too," he groaned. "You're so tight."

"Link," she moaned. "You feel so good inside me. Please, just stay inside me."

Gasping, he swore again. "I wish I could live inside you."

"Link..!"

She started to bounce harder and harder, their skin smacking loudly with every fall of her hips. The movements made her long, dark hair spring behind her and her pert breasts bounce.

He slid a hand up until it cupped a breast, then guided it to his mouth. Zelda gasped, watching him gently lap her nipple with his tongue. Link's eyes were locked with hers as he relished the erotic look on her face.

Between her deep red cheeks, her open mouth, and her glazed eyes, she looked properly undone. Even the sweat made her skin gleam and her damp hair stick to her temples.

It was too much and yet not enough: he needed to go faster. He tore off her breast to look at her properly, pleadingly, and took hold of her hips.

Zelda didn't protest when he lifted her and laid her down, causing her beautiful chestnut hair to fan around her on the pillow and her pale blue eyes to blink up at him in question.

One hand tightened around her hip while the other took hold of his member. It was when his gaze flashed to her for approval that she understood and gave her nod of assent.

As he slowly slid inside her, her breath caught. She clung tightly to his upper arm. While it wasn't painful, his thick head still posed quite the intrusion, stretching her open. After the first few experimental strokes, he rammed her to the hilt, hitting her in a spot they'd discovered together last night.

Zelda's eyes rolled back as she threw her head onto the pillow. "Link!" she cried brokenly. His member filled her perfectly, reaching the very depths of her.

Planting his hand on the pillow, he began to move his hips. It made stars explode behind her eyes. Zelda's hand flew back and grabbed the headboard, nearly afraid she'd snapped a piece off. They were shaking the mattress, their bodies rocking up and down from the deep, intense thrusts.

With every slam of his hips, she cried out, emitting a symphony of the most erotic noises. He could listen to it all day long. His gaze held hers, swirling with intense passion and unbridled desire, taking in the inward curve of her brows, the dew of sweat rolling down her temple, the way her lips quivered.

Goddesses, he loved her. Every part, every inch - everything.

He leaned forward and captured her lips, kissing her languidly, in perfect contrast to the fast movement of his hips. Her eyes shut, welling with unshed tears.

She felt his love encapsulate her, holding her like a warm embrace. Pleasure formed like a knot in her core that was waiting to be unraveled.

"I love you," she gasped.

Link's forehead dropped to hers, his brows furrowing.

"Zelda," he said, wavering with emotion. "I love you so much."

"I'm close," she said. "I'm so close."

"Come, Zelda," he panted. "Please."

"Come with me, Link." She was pleading now, a whimper laced in her voice. Such a lustful plea, falling from Zelda's lips, was more than enough encouragement. "Please - Link!"

Like a tight coil, she snapped and came undone. With a burst of her voice, she arched off the mattress and clenched unbearably tight around his member. Ecstasy surged through her for the second time that morning.

The feeling of her wrapped so tightly around him, with her hot, tense body pressed to his, was more than he could handle. Link succumbed to his orgasm right on top of hers.

Groaning through gritted teeth, he bore down, his hips ramming deep within her as he slowed to a stop. Both his hearing and sight went blank and dissolved into a white light. He twitched as his seed spilled inside her, and the warm feeling made her shudder.

When the last of the pleasure abated, his gaze refocused on her. Her head was thrown back on the pillow, her eyes glazed over in a daze. He felt himself going soft within her, so he slowly eased out, allowing some of his seed to trickle out of her. The sight made him groan.

At last, Zelda stirred. Her eyes fluttered as she looked at him as if waking from a daze before they softened with a smile. Link's face was open in shock and awe, and his arms trembled to keep himself from collapsing atop her.

Sliding her hands back to his shoulders, she pulled him towards her and guided him to lie at her side. Their legs were entangled, and their sweaty skin stuck together at every point of contact. He had a musk infused with pine that she found herself breathing in.

The brief silence gave way to the early birds in the palace gardens. The twitter of songbirds and the sharp call of the bluejays outside their window only made them more at ease.

"Wow," Link exhaled at last.

For some reason, the short exclamation made her smile.

"My thoughts exactly."

Flustered, he took hold of her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. Her eyes fluttered and she found herself blushing girlishly.

"I love you," he said yet again. But Zelda would never tire of hearing it.

"And I love you."

Soft and tender, her hand moved to graze his cheek. Sadness crept in, considering she had to get up and leave his side. Such a pleasurable morning made it harder to say goodbye, but she'd delayed the inevitable enough. With a saddened sigh, she peeled off him and slipped out of the covers.

"But I really must go - before they send out a search party."

Link frowned, but he didn't try to fight it: he had to go to work too. Still, he held onto her hand until she was too far away to reach.

Though the bed already felt colder without her, Link couldn't help but marvel at how his young wife stumbled around the room, coyly swathed in the white sheet with tousled hair, and at the patter of her bare feet across the plush carpet.

She disappeared behind her partition while Link swept his fingers through his hair. He'd just swung his legs over the bedside when a thought returned to him.

"Zelda?"

She hummed in question from behind the screen.

"When-" he blushed, flustered, but urged himself to ask, "When did you start taking that elixir?"

Zelda emerged from the screen in a slip while pulling her arm through a matching robe. His eyes flitted down her body. Something about her like this made his heart flip. Comfortable and intimate - at home.

While she untucked her hair from the collar, she smiled wickedly and strode towards him. Draping her arms over his shoulders, she leaned forward to give him a dizzying kiss.

Just as she pulled away, she murmured lowly, dangerously, "I will never tell."

Link's stomach tightened.

"Zelda…?" he cried.

Heat. It embodied the room that blissful summer afternoon, where the sunbeams fired through the glass windows and cast the queen's study in an idyllic kaleidoscopic glow.

Closing the curtains was little to no respite, for there was little light without the hearth burning, and so they opted to leave them open, sacrificing any chance of a chill for the light needed to get through their planning.

With the wedding only weeks away, it was crucial for the young couple to go over the plans. Though there were more than a dozen on staff working to ensure their wedding ceremony and reception were worthy of royalty, Zelda and Link needed to approve every little detail, from the greenery in the centerpieces to the inlays of dishware and the embroidery on the napery.

Though Zelda was well-versed in such drab subjects, Link found that the heat of the room matched with the utterly boring topics made it impossible to focus.

Instead, he found himself looking at her.

A bead of sweat formed at her hairline and trickled down her temple, heading for her jaw before her hand intercepted. It was swept away by her index finger, dressed in a satin glove, and he absently wondered how she wasn't boiling.

Zelda always wore what must've been pounds of fabric, but he hadn't ever thought about what a nuisance it would be on such a hot and heavy day. Not that he was one to talk, given that he was typically dressed in layers of armor. But that day, fortunately, he'd opted for a simple blouse and cotton trousers.

"Given the surplus of blue samples Chancellor Foster has provided, I'm inclined to believe that he has a preference. It is the color of our crest, after all. However, I personally favor the simplicity of ivory," Zelda said, flipping through the square samples of silk. "What do you think?"

After receiving no response, she turned to look at her fiancé and instantly caught his distant gaze and parted lips. With an annoyed sigh, she dropped her hands to her lap.

"Link."

He flinched. "Huh?"

"Have you listened to a word I said?"

"Something about blue, I think." Her brow arched. He winced. "I'm sorry. It's just too hot to focus. Aren't you hot?"

With another sigh, she fanned herself with the samples. The heat was a tad bothersome. Hazarding a glance out the window behind them, she was blinded by the sunlight and had to squint to avoid the glare.

"I suppose it is quite hot."

Resigned, she set the samples on the table and swung her braid over a shoulder, inadvertently revealing to him the stretch of bare skin from her jaw to her shoulder.

Link tensed. His eyes caught on another bead of sweat as it traveled down the elegant slope of Zelda's neck. The sudden urge to sweep it away with his tongue surged through him.

It disappeared down the neckline of her dress, and he was only half-aware of licking his lips before their eyes met again. Suddenly, Link realized how intently Zelda watched him watching her.

"What is it?"

"No - Nothing."

She leveled him with a no-nonsense look. He winced again.

"It's just -"

Gnawing on his lip, his eyes swept over her face. He reached out to her and Zelda went still as she watched his hand slowly inch towards her. When his fingertips sank into her hair, soft and gentle, her breath caught. His thumb then stretched to her brow and wiped a bead of sweat off her temple.

Her eyes were the only part of her that moved. They flitted between his and Link had the familiar sense that somehow, someway, she could read every thought in his mind.

With the gentlest touch, his hand moved along her jaw, all the way down to her chin. His jaw set as he looked at her, the warrior within briefly flashing through as he appeared to deliberate on something.

Then, Zelda watched him lean forward and kiss her.

In the otherwise silent study, their lips clicked, a soft, repetitive noise that was soothing if not a little erotic. It felt like he was melting into her: the languid movement of her mouth, the warmth of her kiss, the heat of her seeping into him.

It made him soft and malleable, but he was ready and willing to melt into a puddle of wax if it was under her flame.

When they parted and her eyes fluttered open, she saw that Link was already looking at her with something between reverence and caution.

"Is that okay?" he murmured softly, like a secret.

Unable to find her voice, Zelda simply nodded. A ghost of a smile flitted across his lips before he took her in another kiss.

Her hand hovered uncertainly before resting on his neck. She could feel him shift on the sofa, could feel his shin brushing against her knee. The thought of just his leg touching hers made her shiver.

How would it feel when she could have more of him? All of him?

Her hand slid upwards, threading into his hair, and cradled the nape of his neck. She heard him make a soft groan; she felt it rumble through her chest.

He withdrew just a hair's width apart. Zelda's lips were swollen and wet, her eyes in a daze. It made it impossible to pull away any further.

"Goddesses, I can't get enough of you," he breathed.

She swallowed and licked her lips, and the brief glimpse of her tongue made his stomach leap. "You have me," she murmured. "At least for the next half hour."

A sudden laugh burst out of him, taken off guard, and she let herself smile with him.

"Well, if that's all..."

He kissed her again, and it felt like they could sink into each other. It just felt right, in a way that nothing else ever had.

With a tilt of his head, he inched closer when suddenly, something wet flitted across his lips. His mind was whipped by a sudden dizzy spell. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to keep himself upright.

But he recovered quickly and parted his lips, if only to not miss the chance at feeling her tongue against his. The slick slide of her tongue against his introduced a whole slew of sensations and desires previously unknown to them.

There was a haze as they parted, mouths wet and breath warm. If he thought it was hot before, he was burning now. What was she doing to him? Was she in control of the weather, too?

He took hold of one of the locks that framed her face and eased it over her shoulder. Leaning in, he held her gaze until he was too close and pressed a soft kiss to the point where her neck met her shoulder.

Zelda gasped lightly, letting her eyes fall shut and her head loll back. "Link," she sighed.

He'd only recently realized how much he enjoyed kissing her neck, how he loved being nestled into the crook of it and enveloped by her familiar scent. He wasn't often afforded the opportunity, but now that he had, he didn't want to squander it.

Link took a deep breath through the nose before dragging his warm and wet mouth up the column of her neck, tasting the salt of her sweat. When he found her pulse point, he kissed her again and sucked lightly on her skin.

"Link."

Her voice was devoid of breath. She felt like she was melting. She'd never known pleasure like this.

With her hands still coiled around his neck, she began tugging blindly at her gloves. As lost as he was, he could only partially register what she was doing. It wasn't until they dropped to the sofa behind him and she dragged her bare hands over the sides of his face that he detached from her.

His cheeks were red – possibly more so than she'd ever seen - and his eyes were dazed. But she reeled him back in, pressing his lips to hers.

He was feeling hotter by the second. It was like the fire that'd been building for months was unleashed, swirling around them like a fiery inferno, making it hard to breathe, to speak.

He was so distracted by her mouth that he almost didn't notice her hands moving downward. Almost.

He flinched - partly due to the light touch but more so for its precarious position. His fingernails dug into the settee, almost certain that he'd tear through the damask fabric.

"What're you - " he started. But then her hands reached his waistband and he choked on a gasp. He bit his lip to keep from making any more undignified noises.

Zelda's eyes searched his face, from his wide-eyed gaze to the bright red in his cheeks, to the bite of his lower lip. In part, she was expecting him to tell her to stop or even push her hand away. Yet, though she could see that he was flustered, he waited with bated breath.

Since she wasn't quite so daring to take his shirt off, Zelda tucked her hands beneath his blouse and slid them over his lower stomach. His sharp exhale was immediate. She'd never touched him like this before; neither of them had ever dared to venture beneath the other's clothes.

Now that she had, Link didn't know if he could live without it. Her hands were so soft and gentle against his skin. Electricity crackled beneath her fingertips, setting every thrilling nerve alight. He'd surely lose his mind – or his dignity - right there on the couch.

In awe, he stared into her eyes as her hands moved over his abs, then up to his pectorals, roaming just for the feel of his taut chest beneath her feather-light touch.

There was something especially exhilarating about the satisfaction on her face, the short catch of her breath as she passed over every ridge. Just thinking that she enjoyed it - enjoyed him - made him ache.

"Zelda..."

Her eyes shot up to his. There was only a brief moment before their mouths met again. Link leaned forward as Zelda leaned back, sinking into the sofa with him above her. The insinuating position didn't elude either of them, but their need for one another momentarily superseded their caution.

His tongue swept across her lips, and she moaned – moaned - into his mouth. Link shuddered as if it'd rippled through him.

He wanted her. Goddesses alive, he wanted her.

He tore himself back for a moment to catch his breath, but even then he was gasping her name. She arched into him in an instinctive need for more, her hands planted against the wall of his chest.

Link suppressed a primal groan before their lips returned to one another. She must've known what she was doing to him - must've known it was about to get really embarrassing for him if they didn't stop immediately.

"We-We can't…"

But for the first time, Zelda considered the fact that she might disregard all rules of conduct and propriety. She couldn't see how she could stop kissing him or stop touching him or stop him from touching her.

It was impossible.

Her thoughts bartered, her desire desperately suppressing her conscience by any means necessary. Link was her fiancé. Their wedding was weeks away – it wouldn't be completely intolerable, would it? No one might ever know.

When Zelda drew back, she murmured, "Link," before her voice was smothered by another kiss.

There was a knock at the door. The duo froze, their eyes opening in unison.

They were in her study. Goddess, she forgot they were in her study. Link wrenched himself off her, toppling backward from the momentum, and Zelda shot straight up.

She started to straighten herself out, and Link was fixing his shirt and his hair, but then there was another knock, followed by the familiar voice of her advisor. "Your Majesty?" he asked through the door. "Are you in there?"

A little shaken, she replied, "Y-Yes. Just a moment." She slipped on her gloves, grabbed the notes she'd taken on their wedding planning, and opened the door.

With the most regal voice she had, she said, "My apologies. We were just finishing up on our selections for the reception."

Link came to her side shortly after. There was a painfully long moment where Councillor Cole inspected them as if he could read right through their lie.

But after a moment, the advisor simply replied with an ushering sweep of his arm. "Of course. But your appointment has been pushed up and we must be on our way if you don't want to be late."

Zelda nodded firmly and hurried ahead, shaken and yet hiding it expertly well. As Link made to leave the room, he was stopped by a firm hand on his chest. He looked at Cole questioningly. The councilor cleared his throat and touched two fingers to his own lips.

Link blinked confusedly and copied the gesture, wiping his lips before noticing the rouge stain smeared onto his fingertips.

He heard her voice first.

Over the twitter of songbirds, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the clatter of his commander's greaves with every heavy footfall, Link heard Queen Zelda's laugh.

It sounded like twinkling glass or wind chimes; it was ethereal just like her, light and fleeting and beautiful. And when she came into sight, Link's breath hitched, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Zelda appeared through one of the stone gateways, aglow in the sunlight that flitted through the foliage of the trees. She was breathtaking in the daylight as if the sun itself burned just to shine on her. Her braided dark hair gleamed, her eyes sparkled with laughter, and her smile was small but bright.

Link was yanked out of his reverie at the sight of the Prince of Labrynna, stepping out from behind the topiary. Percival stood tall in a dark green royal jacket that matched her gown, with broad shoulders under gold pauldrons like hers, and ginger hair that was oiled and swept back.

But the way Zelda's twinkling eyes were on his face, the way she was laughing at something he said, and her arm was looped into the crook of his elbow was altogether more painful. Link felt it like a kick in the gut.

When Commander Eagus noticed his second's hesitation, he followed his gaze to the junction that they were all approaching. He spotted the queen and simply went, "Ah," before calling out, "Afternoon, Your Majesty!"

His formidable voice caught their attention immediately, causing both royals to turn and look at the commanders. Zelda's brows lifted when she saw the hero, but her gaze quickly flitted back to Eagus.

"Good afternoon, commanders," she greeted.

"Fine weather we're having, isn't it?" Percival chimed in.

"Sure is," Eagus replied.

Link chose not to comment. A beastly urge to rip the prince off her arm surged through him, and he clenched his jaw. Resolutely, he tore his gaze from Zelda and stared straight ahead instead.

She noticed, of course. There was the slightest pout of her lips, the slightest dip of her brows, while Percival remained unbothered - or perhaps more likely, blissfully unaware of their exchange of glances.

With a courteous nod, she swept the prince down another path. It wasn't until they were out of earshot that Link expelled a heavy breath as if he hadn't breathed throughout the entire interaction.

Eagus slapped the hero on the back, forcing him to stagger forward. "Ya got it bad, dontcha?"

Link's eyes widened moments before they flew to his superior. "What?"

The burly man chortled from somewhere deep in his chest while he marched ahead. Link was frozen long enough for Eagus to make it to the gateway, and so he hastened to follow.

"Commander?"

"C'mon, m'boy. Those councilors might beat around the bush, but I won't. It's clear ya fancy the queen."

Link's heart stopped for a second. Goddess, he wasn't that obvious, was he?

"She – She's the queen," he spluttered, though he could feel his face betray him by heating up a few degrees.

"I don't give a damn about titles. She's a woman; yer a man. That's how it goes sometimes."

He didn't quite know what to say to that. It was sweet, kind of, if he was able to look past the embarrassment. But Eagus didn't seem to care much either way.

"I don't blame ya. The queen's somethin' special, all right. It's a shame they got her all paired up with that prince." He frowned deeply and scratched the side of his head. "But I guess it's not the lad's fault. He seems nice enough, if not a tad lily-livered."

"Do you -" Link hesitated, and then continued in a small voice, "Do you think she likes him?"

That stopped Eagus in his tracks. He turned back to the hero and was surprised by the vulnerable look on his face.

In training, Link was the toughest warrior he'd ever known. He was able to give orders, to march proudly and fight fiercely, as if he knew no fear. And yet here in the gardens, he was quiet and flustered.

He looked like he was in pain.

The sight softened Eagus's ironclad heart. "Yer askin' the wrong man about the inner workings of a woman's mind. Especially if that woman is Queen Zelda."

Link's head tilted as his eyes wandered off to the side, almost like his saddened gaze was an anchor.

"But I can tell ya," he continued with a hand to his chin, "I've known Her Majesty since she was a tyke. Deep down, she's not as tough as she seems. I think part of her wants love just like the rest of us."

Link's eyes flashed back to Eagus, and something unidentifiable shimmered in them. Almost like hope.

Somehow, the commander knew he'd said the right thing.

--

The queen couldn't sleep that night.

She'd always had bouts of insomnia that lasted at least a fortnight, and she attributed her most recent development to all those weeks spent ill in bed. But if Zelda was being honest with herself, which she wasn't, her sleeplessness was more likely due to another matter – or person – entirely.

At some late hour of the night, she threw her hands on the covers with a huff before pushing them off altogether and standing up. Navigating her room with nothing but moonlight, she threw a light cloak over her night things and pulled on a pair of boots. After she fastened the cloak and untucked her hair from its collar, she stole away into the castle corridors.

She didn't have a destination in mind. Some fresh air might be nice, she thought, but she allowed her feet to wander.

The corridors were quiet and empty in the late hour, aside from the patrolling guards, and she savored the tranquility of it. It was the one time she might afford some peace, the one time when she was not sought out by anyone at all.

In truth, her councilors had been gracious. Since she'd been on the mend of a deadly virus, they'd been very lenient with her schedule, and Zelda was quite honestly surprised. Not that she was audacious enough to call her courtiers cruel: inconsiderate perhaps, at times even rude, but certainly not cruel.

They only had one thing they required of her – a duty they'd given her little to no lenience on. And that was her courtship.

Perhaps she shouldn't think of her courtship as a duty. She was a young woman after all, and Prince Percival of Labrynna was kind, gentle, and fun to be around. He wasn't classically handsome, but he was good-looking in his own right: tall with ginger hair and a spatter of light freckles on his nose.

There were worse men to choose from, Zelda thought. She knew from personal experience.

She pushed open a heavy door and stepped onto a rampart. Drawing a deep breath of the brisk air, she allowed her eyes to fall shut. The night was still and calm. There were the rhythmic chirps of crickets, the hoots of a nearby owl, and the distant squeaks of a bat. By the time her eyes opened, a smile was on her lips.

Using the torchlight on the walls to light her path, she made her way down a staircase and cut through the misty fog that stretched over the castle grounds. It was then, in the firelight, that she found herself under the arch perimeter of the training yard. The knights and squires had long retired, along with the commanders, and Zelda was left all alone.

After giving a cursory glance down the pathway she'd come from, her eyes swept over the enclosure. Since completing her training years ago, she'd visited the training yard less often, especially after Zant's invasion and Hyrule's subsequent restoration.

Eagus had trained her well in many different fighting styles and with a variety of weapons, but she'd always been drawn to the bow. Archery allotted her tranquility unlike anything else in her life, and her skill proved quite useful in the battle against Ganondorf.

Her sharp eyes snagged onto one of the targets. There was no harm in tiring herself off, she figured. And so, Zelda unhooked a bow from the wall, loaded a quiver, and slung it over her shoulder. Then she positioned herself in front of a painted wooden target.

After nocking the arrow, she raised the bow and drew the fletching beneath her jaw. Everything outside of the target faded away, feeding into the fog, as her eyes narrowed in on its center.

With a small breath, she released the arrow. It whistled through the air before lodging itself into the crimson center with a muted thud.

Zelda smiled.

She couldn't tell how long she spent, or how many arrows she loosed, or how many walks she took to retrieve them and start again. But with every shot she took, the tightness in her shoulders relaxed, her breath became steadier, and she felt sleepiness start to rear its head.

When she'd gotten to the last arrow in her quiver once more, she decided to make the last shot count. Her eyes locked in on the fletching lodged in the center.

With another breath, she freed the arrow. It shot through the air before slicing straight through the other arrow's shaft, splintering the wood in the process.

"Wow."

Zelda started. She spun on her heel to find none other than the hero, awash in the flickering torchlight, under one of the archways. His eyes were locked on the arrow, which had effectively peeled back another before they moved to find hers. The queen cleared her throat.

"Link."

"Zelda."

After a brief pause, she stepped forward, deciding it was the only rational thing to do. She couldn't exactly justify turning on her heel and walking away any more than she could justify hiding behind one of the straw dummies.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Her gaze followed Link's while it swept over the training yard, as if confused, either by her foolish question or by the way he lacked an answer to it.

"I come early sometimes. To practice."

"Is it nearly dawn?"

"Well, no, but…"

There was hesitation on his face, maybe even embarrassment, and he scratched the back of his neck. Her brow arched.

"I couldn't sleep." His eyes darted away, but they flicked back to hers briefly.

"I see." After an uncertain pause, Zelda slung her bow and began collecting her arrows. The movement set his gaze back on her.

"What are you doing here?" Then, he added with feeling, "It's cold out."

"I actually find the weather pleasant. It's been too long since I've had the pleasure of being outdoors."

With the last of the arrows in the quiver, she stowed it away alongside the bow and turned back to him. She hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I also had trouble sleeping."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

There was another beat of silence, where neither knew what to say. Then he said, "Did you-" at the same moment she started, "Perhaps I-" Both their mouths shut, eyes meeting in mutual embarrassment.

The tension between them was unnatural. When did it become like this? Only a week ago, they were laughing and confiding in one another. And then Percival –

Well, Percival hadn't done anything that either of them didn't expect. He came to Hyrule in pursuit of Zelda's hand in marriage, just like the other princes and aristocrats. Now, he was courting her. He called upon her and brought her flowers and recited poetry.

Admittedly, it was all rather rushed. Percival waited so long for her to recover, and nobody wanted to make him wait any longer. Zelda felt especially guilty for inadvertently holding him hostage these last few weeks.

But in doing so, her bond with Link began to strain, like a heavy load on a frayed knot. He surely felt her pulling away and he had to know why. Of course, he was unfamiliar with royal courtships, but he wasn't daft. He had to know what was going on.

Zelda desperately wanted to know what he thought of it. Why hadn't he made any objections? Then again, how dare she imagine he would? The last thing he needed was to get into any more trouble with foreign princes.

When she didn't speak, Link tried again. "Will you stay?" He must've realized the vagueness of his question because he elaborated with, "And practice."

She knew she shouldn't; Zelda knew she should probably turn tail and run back to her chambers. After some sleep, she just might be able to harness the skill of a thespian to pretend this interaction never happened in the morning.

With his fingers in his belt loops and a small shrug, he added, "I could use a partner." Somehow, that was enough to disarm her.

"Very well."

It was rewarded by a smile, both genuine and dashing, that sent her heart fluttering. He stepped forward, picked up two rapiers, and with his other hand, reached out and took hers.

And time grinded to a halt.

Zelda's breath hitched. Link froze. The familiar shock of skin against skin trilled up their arms, and a tremor shot from his heart straight to hers.

He hadn't meant to be so forward. He hadn't thought about it at all, really: he simply meant to hand her the hilt. But somehow, after his eyes found her hand, he'd taken it instead.

Now that he had, he couldn't let go. His hand was behind hers, his fingertips brushing her knuckles. Painstakingly slow, it slid up the length of her hand, dancing across the dorsum, and then his fingertips were just a whisper on her wrist.

Their eyes slowly rose to find each other. Zelda swallowed painfully. Even as his eyes traveled over her face in search of something, she didn't move.

Her chest tightened and she shut her eyes. Her feelings were so strong – the moment too intense. It was just a touch. Just a touch, and yet she quivered.

"The rapier," she uttered, strained.

The words seemed to startle him from his daze. He dropped her hand and time snapped back to speed. After passing her the hilt, he looked away.

"I…" Link began, his voice devoid of breath. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Zelda said. Perhaps she shouldn't have: it wasn't all right and they both knew it. They shouldn't be holding hands; they shouldn't be touching at all.

Link wasn't courting her, nor was he even eligible as a suitor. It was wrong to touch in that manner, especially when another man's proposal was just on the horizon.

And yet, it felt so right.

Eager to end the thought there, she took a few steps back. Perhaps dueling would be enough to keep her mind occupied, considering how long it'd been since she practiced.

"Shall we begin?"

At his small, distracted nod, she slid into position. Link mirrored her with an idle swing of his blade, a habit she'd noticed in his duel with Ganondorf.

And then it began. Zelda engaged him with a series of precise moves, all of which he easily blocked.

Just by watching his duels, she knew Link's skill was unmatched, but fighting him was another matter entirely. Though they'd technically dueled before, she'd been a puppet under Ganondorf's strings and could remember next to nothing of the encounter.

If it wasn't clear before, his expertise was certainly evident now. He was graceful and swift, his blade an extension of his body. And his body, the way that it moved and twisted - she was entranced.

Her swings began to fall more heavily until Link suddenly ducked, causing her to stagger forward, and he lightly jabbed her on the side.

Zelda recoiled and he smiled in an easy, boyish way that was both frustrating and exhilarating. Eyes locked, they stepped back and began to circle each other.

"Do you practice every night?"

"Sometimes," he admitted with another shrug. "It's a good distraction."

She mulled over his words even as Link engaged her again, their blades ringing like the tolls of a bell. He blocked every slice just as she evaded every thrust.

"Is there a lot on your mind?"

Link didn't answer at first. His eyes had moved from hers to their rapiers, though it seemed he wasn't entirely focused on their movement. She'd seen through his feint and caught his blade's edge just before he could nick her again.

"Something like that."

Link lunged. Upon blocking, she slowly slid the edge of her blade up the length of his and forced it away. The opening allowed her to jab him on the shoulder.

"For me as well."

His gaze flashed back to hers, uncertain and withdrawn, before flitting between her eyes. The tension was nearly palpable.

"Is it," Link finally ventured, his voice in his throat, "the prince?"

With a tight swallow, she dropped her gaze. She didn't answer right away. Instead, she thrust her rapier, but Link stepped aside just before it could jab him. He batted it away and retaliated, prompting the chiming of steel to once again echo throughout the yard.

"In part," she finally said.

"He likes you."

"It would appear so."

There was another question on his tongue, another unsaid word he wouldn't dare voice, and yet Zelda could feel it hanging in the air.

Do you like him?

Winded, Zelda disengaged and stepped back, settling a hand on her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. They resumed circling one another, as if in a dance.

"Percival possesses a kind heart." She wiped a hand over her dewy brow. "For people in my position, sometimes that's all one needs to ascertain."

"Is that enough?"

"It..." She hesitated. "It must be."

There was a frown set on his face, seemingly unconvinced, that made her feel uneasy. She stepped forward and engaged him once more with a bout of strikes.

With every clash of their rapiers, the space between them dwindled. It was as if a gravitational pull drew them together, as if space itself surrendered so they might get closer.

"What about love?"

She struck down, but it caught the edge of his rapier.

"Love is not always an option."

Their blades locked, forming a saltire between them, their faces unguarded above the intersection.

They went still in the same instant, at the sudden realization of how close they'd gotten. They were breathing heavily and her eyes fluttered, lashes low as they dropped to his lips.

And then Link whispered, "It could be."

Her breath caught. There, Link stood, the very essence of all that she desired less than a handspan away, and she was immobilized by three simple words.

Zelda desperately wanted him to elaborate. She wanted him to say that he would love her, if she would only allow him to. It was foolish and improper and impossible, but she wanted it anyway.

It was as if her mind had divested all rationality - as if it willingly surrendered its authority to her heart when it came to him.

"Link," Zelda said, breathless and spellbound.

He seemed equally entranced by her proximity. His chest rose and fell with shuddering breaths; his cheeks were flushed to where she could feel their heat, but he didn't push away. His lips were close - so close.

Zelda couldn't remember thinking much about kissing before Link, but now it was all she could think of. What did he taste like? How would his lips move against hers? Where would he touch her?

"I..." There were a thousand ways she wanted to finish her sentence, a thousand things she wanted to tell him. But what came out instead was, "…I should think that's a stalemate."

The words she spoke, before she could even deliberate them, forced her to step back, and the knot in her chest tightened immediately. Her feelings for him sat thick and heavy in her chest, but her future lay in someone else's hands.

To her surprise, Link stepped after her with his hand out. "Zelda -"

Her eyes flashed up to his. His brows were furrowed, pained. So many unsaid words festered in the space between them. His mouth was shaping words his voice could not find, but still, her ears strained to make them out.

"Just…" he took another step towards her, the point of his rapier dropping to the floor, "don't do anything that'll make you unhappy."

Her lips pressed into a tight line. More than anything, Zelda wished that she could take his advice. She wished her marriage didn't have to be discussed with a council; she wished that her decisions held no consequences for anyone else.

But she was the queen, and such choices were never really hers.

Navy flags snapped atop their poles, the glass of the windows shook against the iron grates, and the rain pelted against the shingles of the roof: an unsteady rhythm that harmonized with the crackle of the firewood. It was the kind of night that left the queen reluctant to return home to her empty chambers.

But soon, her chambers wouldn't be so empty anymore.

Zelda often wondered what it'd feel like, having him to come home to, to have his things mesh with hers, to crawl into bed beside him and see him dressed less than proper. Her face heated up at the thought.

A long while had passed before he came to her study door, a knock so familiar under the weight of his hand that she knew it was him. At her clearance, Link entered with wet hair and a fresh set of clothes, but his boots were crusted with mud and flaking on the carpets. Training must've left him a mess during such a storm.

Unlike at his homestead in Ordon, knights didn't get to stay in on a rainy day. Instead, they worked twice as hard on the slick grounds and through the misty air. Needless to say, the knights were pushed to their limits, and as second-in-command, Link was no exception.

"You look exhausted. You don't want to turn in early?" She said this even though she selfishly wished he wouldn't; she hadn't seen him all day.

"Nah," he replied, but the tired undertone of his voice betrayed him. He'd had many worse days, of course, scouring through unforgiving temples and facing ruthless beasts. But a hard day was still a hard day, and even heroes were exhausted from time to time.

But now he had Zelda to return to, and after a nice hot bath, he was just glad to be back in her company. She was perched on the sofa before the fire, with her frayed blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a poetry book open in her palms. Her pale blue eyes were more radiant than the firelight, her small smile warmer than its heat.

The sofa shifted as he slumped into it and the fragrance from his bath oils filled the air. She set the small book aside and lifted the old blanket a touch higher. "Are you cold?"

His face stilled with a fluster. There was a pause before he smiled and carefully scooted closer. Warmth washed through him instantly, but it wasn't from the blanket. Instead, it was the steady pressure of her shoulder and the accidental brush of her thigh against his. He often wondered what she thought of in a tender moment like this. Did it fluster her too?

Zelda turned her gaze back to the fire; though they were solemn, her eyes sparkled in the flitting flames, and her brown hair spilled over her shoulders, soft and dark in the shadows but gleaming like melted gold in the firelight.

His fingers found the frayed edges of the blanket and fixed it over his other shoulder. "Where'd you get this blanket?"

Zelda tensed. It didn't seem like much of a question in his head, but when he said it out loud, it fell heavy on the room like he'd dropped a brick in a still pond.

They were weeks away from marriage now. But there was still much about one another that they didn't know: her status as queen had urged them to marry sooner, after all. It wasn't typically a problem, especially on evenings like these, where they could fill the silence with conversation.

But his question felt heavy in a way he hadn't prepared for. He quickly threw more words out as if it'd ease the tension. "It seems like your favorite. Is it your baby blanket?"

She opened her mouth, but nothing came from it. Instead, her pale eyes glazed over, going distant to a place he couldn't follow. It took a moment for her to say, "No." There was another pause, long and drawn out, where he thought she might leave it there. But instead, Zelda said, "It's from the tower."

His mouth fell open then, the word "Oh" slipping out without him really meaning to say it. It was a sensitive topic, and he'd never intentionally broached it. He'd seen the scars that riddled her body, fading into the smoothness of her skin; he'd heard her voice quiver with an uncharacteristic vulnerability when she spoke of it. "I'm sor-"

"It's okay," she interjected, clearly anticipating the apology. "It's fine."

But it wasn't. Her fear still festered. It was in the screech of an iron door and the thud of heavy footsteps and the menacing torchlight pouring through a door or the rise of a hand or a voice. It was in the fall of twilight, when darkness dampened her contentment like a snuffer smothering a candle, and all she had was her blanket to shelter in.

Some irrational part of her was ashamed, thinking how foolish it was for the bearer of wisdom to be afraid of something that's done and gone, or how inelegant it was for a queen to cower under her blanket at any unexpected noise. But until recently, she'd had the fortune of not disclosing it to anyone, of being alone at the worst of it in the privacy of her bedchambers.

Whether Link understood why or not, he'd already seen her flinch upon awakening in the desert. He'd learned that she'd suffered at the guard's hands in the tower – and at times, she was certain he was just as fragile at the fall of night. She could share this with him.

"It's just…one of the few things that brought me comfort. I couldn't bear parting with it. When the time came to reconstruct the tower, I took it with me."

Link's hand fell on hers, sending that familiar trill from the Triforce rolling up her arm, and she suddenly realized she'd been tugging at a loose thread. "I get that," he said; his voice had been so absent from the room that it almost startled her. But it brought her comfort instead. "I kept everything I found, too."

A skittish smile tugged at her lips. "You do have quite a bit of treasure." When they worked out the logistics of it, he admitted he didn't have much to bring when he moved into her chambers. But he had a rather large trunk of odds and ends that he couldn't seem to part with, one that started to gather dust in the back of his closet.

He smiled sheepishly. "What else brought you comfort?"

She paused, giving his question a fair deal of thought before answering, "You," she said. "And Midna, of course. Knowing you were both defending this kingdom gave me a great deal of comfort. More than anything, for that matter."

Guiltily, her words made his heart skip a beat. It killed him to think that she'd suffered all along, that he'd never considered it or done anything about it. They'd left her in the tower, thinking foolishly that she was safe there - as a princess ought to be - and carried on, while she stayed back and anticipated the inevitable abuse from the guard only steps away from her door.

And yet there was a strange consolation in knowing that Zelda thought of him – that thinking of him comforted her, even at the darkest of times. She'd relied on them to save the kingdom, and at least in that, he hadn't failed her.

Looking down at their joined hands, he brushed her knuckles idly. "I thought about you too…" he admitted. "Me and Midna would talk about you a lot."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Sometimes, she'd bring you up out of nowhere, but other times it was like she knew you were on my mind…" He shook his head, eyes fallen downcast, and when the flush rekindled on his cheeks, he raised his bare hand to scratch it. "But I always worried about you. I just wish -"

She stopped him suddenly with a soft but firm kiss on his cheek. His hand froze against his face, eyes wide and staring blankly at the tapestry over her shoulder. Her lips lingered against his red-hot skin; her breath filtered through her lips and carried to the hollow of his ear. "Wish nothing. You saved me."

Her words sent his hand moving on its own accord before he even realized that he'd broken free of his stupor, and threaded into her hair, grasping her head and drawing her into an embrace. His face buried into her shoulder, catching a whiff of her warm, familiar smell and holding it in his throat like it was something tangible.

"You're safe now," he agreed, his voice hitched with his breath, but she'd shuddered in his arms as he said it. It was a reminder – half-spoken to himself – a vow abridged to the ones they'd speak at the altar only weeks later.

Moonlight streamed in from the window, saturating the royal chambers in a soft blue hue. It was peaceful and silent, save for the rustle of the comforter and the sleepy groan as the hero turned in his sleep.

Drowsily, Link reached out to embrace his wife, only to find his hand landing squarely on the mattress. He patted around a bit before opening his eyes and realizing her space was empty. In an instant, he sat up, gave a sweep of the room, and quickly realized Zelda wasn't there at all.

His heart dropped to his stomach. Perhaps it was a bit of an overreaction, but given their history, it was alarming whenever she went missing without explanation. It didn't take half a moment before Link shot out of bed and went searching for her, checking the adjacent rooms before leaving the chambers altogether.

Once he stepped into the corridor, he was poised to run but halted mid-step when he caught a glimpse of a warm light emitting from a half-opened door. Swiftly, he approached their newly furnished nursery and peeked in through the sliver between the door and the doorframe.

When his eyes found Zelda, swaying in the rocking chair with her hands resting over the growing baby bump, his heartbeat settled. A few logs were splintering in the hearth, casting a golden glow over her creamy skin, and he realized that she must've been there for some time.

But she was still donned in her nightgown, partially cloaked by the old threadbare blanket that she loved, and her hair was tied in a loose knot. He leaned against the doorframe, his face softening with a smile.

"…but she told me not to fret, for she'd go searching for a hero," his wife continued, just loud enough to hear. "You can only imagine my surprise when the princess brought a wolf into my tower." His lips curled with amusement when he realized what she was talking about. "I wasn't afraid, though. Even then, your father was too sweet to be scary."

"Hey," he protested, inadvertently making his presence known, "I was scary!" Her lips pursed in suppression of a smile that told him she knew he was there - that she was teasing him. There was a twinkle in her eyes when they met his, and he half-heartedly grumbled, "Everyone in town was scared of me."

Zelda smiled as he approached her and drew him in for a chaste kiss. "You're fierce; I'll give you that," she murmured when they parted, earning a bashful chuckle from her husband.

He then crouched by her side and folded his arms over her lap, and her hand adjusted, lazily combing through the unkempt locks of his blond hair. With a lax sigh, his head lolled into her hand. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Your child won't let me," she joked. But her dulcet voice was watered down with sleepiness and he knew she wasn't completely kidding. "It seems they're particularly restless tonight."

"I'm sorry. You've been working late enough as it is."

It was at times like this that he wished he could do something more to help her. For their part, the council made an honest effort to lessen her load and allow the queen more time to rest. But even then, her workload was so heavy that it ended up taking quite some time to finish.

What with all the new treaties to be written, minor repairs around town to oversee, and finances to budget, it was a wonder she got to bed at all. At least he'd be able to help with the workload once he became king, but it'd be a while before his coronation.

Zelda simply shook her head and lovingly looked down at her bump. "That's all right. We've been having a nice conversation."

"You have?"

"Yes, it seems they enjoy hearing about our adventures. We tried to speak of news and politics, but it only served to agitate them more."

He snorted. "Sounds about right."

The corners of her lips twitched in amusement. "Would you like to continue the story? Perhaps they'd enjoy hearing your voice as well."

"Really?"

"Of course."

A little hesitantly, he lowered his gaze to her belly. Perhaps he was shy or nervous, but either way, it was endearing, the way he carefully reached out to the bump and placed his hand over hers. The restless movements in her belly spurred him to speak.

"The first time I saw your mama, I thought she was the prettiest lady I ever saw." She laughed and shook her head again, but Link's eyes flashed up to hers and the look in them was serious. "I really did...I still do."

"You never told me that."

"Well, I was a wolf."

"I meant since then."

His face began to redden, starting with his cheeks and spreading to the tips of his ears, and his eyes darted away. "Oh. I thought you knew. I mean, I couldn't not look at you. And I didn't want you to think that I only thought you were pretty because you're more than just pretty, but-" He caught his breath and met her gaze again. "Yeah, I always thought you were really pretty."

It was strange being embarrassed about it now - for heaven's sake, they were wed and expecting. But he still remembered how awestruck he was the first time he saw Zelda, the way it made his heart speed up and the world slow down at the same time. He just never thought he'd admit it to her.

Her eyes softened, half-lidded, as her fingers curled in his hair. "For what it's worth," she said, pulling him back to the present, "I thought you were very handsome as well. When you were human, of course." His blush darkened and he leaned further against her knee in an effort to hide it.

Hours were spent just getting lost in memory. Though they were still telling the stories to their unborn child, they ended up discussing it between themselves as well, finding little things about their respective journeys that had yet to be shared. It was incredible that there were still things they hadn't mentioned after so much time had passed, but their adventures were so monumental that it was easy to forget the tidbits.

When they were too tired for words, Zelda hummed her lullaby, and eventually, finally, their child settled down. The couple soon followed suit, and by the early hours, they drifted to sleep right there in the nursery.

--

At dawn, when the maids couldn't find the queen in the royal chambers, there was a bout of frenzied chatter as they went scavenging. Like Link had, they all got quite ruffled at the thought of what could've caused the queen and prince's disappearance.

But when one maid checked the nursery, she waved the others over with a shush and a finger to her lips. The group of maids piled up in the doorway to find the couple nestled in the nursery: Zelda still in the rocking chair, Link leaning on her lap, and their hands interlaced over her baby bump.