I'm sorry if this chapter is a tad bit boring. This is mostly building the characters and laying some groundwork for further chapters. Every story out there has a few boring chapters, and I'm afraid to say that this is one of them. However, it is important, so I urge you to grit your teeth and sit through it! It does pick up a bit at the end, I promise! Anyway, I don't own the Intellectual Property rights to Zelda and could never hope to. I earn no money from this. And now... Onward!

Zelda spent the next three days in silence. No matter what she did, no matter where she went, there was nothing to say. The scene in the infirmary played over and over again through her mind. She had withdrawn to her quarters for a while, wishing for time to grieve and contemplate. Catherine's scars, the wild panic in her eyes just before she died haunted Zelda. Who in the world could have done such a thing to her? Catherine was such a sweet girl. She was... Was. For the fifth time in the past few hours, Zelda broke into sobs. What was life without a best friend? She had never cared about things, possessions, like most affluent young ladies. All that mattered were her friends, her family. The King had raised her that way, much unlike all other kings before him. Zelda's mother had died in childbirth, thus strengthening the bond that the king and his daughter shared. There had always been a hole in their lives where Queen Adelia should have been. Zelda looked out her window, and dried her tears. Wherever Catherine was, she hoped it was a better place than Hyrule was becoming. Zelda rose from her windowseat and dressed, brushing her hair and powdering her face to conceal any redness from her past four days of constant grief. Perhaps a walk would help her to feel better.

The air in the castle was heavy and somber. There had been no news of the war, thus far, and there was a feeling of deep brooding and worry. Had the fighting started yet? Was the Hyrulian Royal army winning? Or had they all been defeated? Would they recieve word of victory, or be attacked and routed? Zelda went outside the castle gates, her entourage having formed as she walked the halls. She made her way into the town square and numbly looked over the different things that the shopkeepers were hawking that day. She bought a vial of perfume without much thought and went to sit down at the fountain. Guards crowded up against her, sheilding her from the commoners. Zelda was in utter gloom as she stared mindlessly between the guards in front of her. She was thinking that perhaps she should head back to the castle when she saw Link across the square. He was coming in her direction. Quickly, she straightened herself up and glanced at her reflection in the water, making sure that she didn't look too shabby. She then bade her guards to leave, save one. They did so without argument just as Link arrived. He gave a low bow and did not look her in the eye.

"Your Majesty, might I request an audience with you?" he asked.

"Yes, please, have a seat." He sat next to her stiffly and nervously fidgeted with his green cap in his hands. He cleared his throat several times and haltingly spoke.

"I have come to ask if Your Majesty would please forgive me for my rude behavior the other day. I was not myself." Zelda swallowed.

"Think nothing of it. Apology accepted." Link eased just a little bit, but not much. The two sat in silence for a bit.

"Catherine... you loved her very much?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yes. Very much, Your Majesty."

"She was your fiancee?" Link turned and gave her an incredulous look before realizing himself and quickly staring back at his boots.

"No, Majesty. She was my sister."

His sister? That would explain his admittance to the castle. Someone of his social status would not normally be allowed inside. She had been preoccupied with his face so much every time she had seen him, that she had not taken the time to actually pay attention to his clothing. He did look rather poor, come to think of it.

"She was your sister?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Where was she when you found her?" Link frowned.

"Well," he said, "she was just outside of the Kokiri Forest. I found her when I was leaving."

"Do you live in the forest?"

"No. I did as a child. My sister and I were separated early on and I only recently found her again. I live in Kakariko Village with her now..." He stopped and looked at the ground. There was an awkward silence.

"Do you know what she was doing outside the forest?" Zelda asked after a bit.

"I'm not entirely sure. I wish I knew." He clenched his fists at those words and Zelda could see hate in his eyes.

"I am very sorry for your loss, Link. I loved Catherine as well. She was my closest friend."

"Thank you, Majesty." Zelda scooted closer to him and patted his hand.

"You don't have to be so formal with me," she said.

"Yes, Majesty."

"Please, call me Zelda."

"Yes, Zelda." She smiled for the first time in days and rose from her seat.

"Please, come back to the castle with me, Link. We could have lunch together. I could use some company." He gave a wry smile and nodded. They made their way through the castle gates and inside toward the dining hall. Grief filled Zelda's soul, yet she could not help but stare at Link out of the corner of her eye. She felt torn between her feelings of sorrow and desire. Another dream about this young man had occupied her sleep the previous night and she had awoken sweating, wishing that it had not ended. Upon reaching the dining hall, they were seated at opposite sides of its massive table, and given their first course. Zelda picked at her food, her appetite still lacking. Link did much the same, his eyes cast ever downward. He was quite different from the man of her night visions. The one she dreamed of was strong, self-assured and full of that sort of manliness which only really exists in fairytales. The one who sat across from her looked unsure of himself, sad, and slightly rumpled. She found herself thinking that his hair could stand combing.

By now they were well into the third course and not a word had passed between them since the fountain. Zelda could not think of anything to say to him. She didn't know him very well and their grief was great. How could one break past that barrier? He had his chin in his hand, leaning to the right, a vacant look about his face. Death had always been something that Zelda was not good at dealing with. It always left her tongue-tied. What was there to say? They did this, they did that. She couldn't say that one thing that was on her mind -- that Catherine would never do anything again. It was such a horrible truth, there was no way that she could face it. This was the first time that she had really had a close friend die. It left such a void that she felt nothing would fill it. If only she could find words to say to Link as he sat across from her, looking ten times more miserable than she felt. The rest of the meal passed in silence. Zelda could find nothing to say, and Link didn't offer. There was a wall between them. He thanked her for the hospitality afterward, and bade her a cordial farewell. She watched him leave down the hall, wanting badly to call after him, to say something, anything. The urge swelled, then ebbed within her as the words stuck in her throat. He was gone as a small cry escaped her. She wept quietly as she went back to her quarters. Impa was waiting for Zelda as she came through the door. The nursemaid hugged her until the tears abated. Impa spoke when things were calm.

"There is news from the front," she said.

"Please tell me it's good news." Zelda answered, drying her tears.

"It's not good and it's not bad. Nothing is happening yet."

"Nothing?"

"General Dosereth has advised your father to wait until the right moment."

"How long is that?" Zelda asked.

"We don't know. I couldn't begin to guess." The Princess nodded and dismissed her nursemaid. She went to the window in her tower and looked out across the townsquare. The people buslted about, buying, selling, living. Zelda wondered what could be going on in their lives. What they worried about, what angered them, what saddened them... In the middle of contemplation, she saw Link, working his way through the crowd, heading for the local alehouse. She wished she could go there, too, catch up with him, talk to him in a much less formal setting. She really hadn't been herself at dinner. A thought crossed her mind. Could I? It was crazy, but nothing much was making sense lately. Without another thought, she hurried out of her room and snuck down to the servants' laundry. There had to be clean common clothes somewhere... Zelda soon found what she was looking for in a large wicker basket. She donned a pair of hose and a tunic, topping it off with a cap, under which she tucked her hair. She hoped to not be recogniseable. Upon leaving the laundry, she stashed her other clothes in a guest bedroom, and left the castle, keeping her face down. In the town square, people pressed against her, different, pungent smells bombarding her as she walked. She was pushed this way and that, no one bothering to pay attention to her or move out of the way. It certainly wasn't what she was used to. Of course, she was merely glad to be free, no one telling her what to do, or keeping others at bay, so nothing else really mattered at the moment. The sense of freedom was exhilarating.

She finally reached the pub and pulled open the thick, wooden door. Pipe smoke met her as she walked inside, the light dim and the air heavy with the stench of old mead. Zelda peered about, looking for Link, her eyes adjusting to the low light. There he was, sitting at the bar. Casually, she headed over, trying to look like a commoner. Either no one noticed, or no one cared, because she didn't draw any attention. The princess stradled a stool next to Link. He was hunched over a mug of something, looking particularly dour.

"What'll ya have?" the bartender asked.

"Uh... whatever he's having," Zelda said in her scruffiest voice. The bartender nodded and proceeded to pour her a flagon of ale. He set it in front of her, liquid sloshing over the sides and spilling onto the bar. She sniffed it and thought better of taking a sip. Link continued to look sullen. Zelda sighed inwardly. Now what? What could she say to him? 'Hi Link! It's me, Princess Zelda! I was watching you through my window and decided to follow you here! So what are you up to?' Suddenly, it didn't seem like such a good idea after all. Zelda suddenly felt sick to her stomach and stood to leave. As she was turning to go, the bartender spoke up.

"That'll be 2.50," he said.

"What?" Zelda realized then that she hadn't thought to bring money with her.

"2.50. For the ale."

"I'm sorry, I don't have it," she answered.

"You had better. No one leaves without paying." Zelda was then aware of several pairs of eyes fixed on her.

"I.. I'm sorry. I..."

"Don't worry. I'll pay for it." Link was looking straight at her, squinting wryly. He paid the bartender and motioned for her to follow him outside. She did so without a word. They left the bar and he led her into an alley.

"Your Majesty, pardon my rudeness, but what were you doing in there?"

"Having a drink..." she said, trailing off with uncertainty.

"Were you following me?" Zelda hesitated for a second at his question. How could she answer that?

"Not, quite. No." she said, cautiously. Link sighed and gave her a harsh look. She could not look him in the eye and stared at her feet. Why did she feel like such a child? He walked over a crate and sat down, putting his head in his hands. Zelda sat down next to him.

"Please, don't be angry. I only wanted to talk to you."

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about? I'm common filth to you." She was taken aback by the comment.

"Why do you think that? I don't think you're filth at all!"

"Sure."

"No, really."

"Well, whatever the case, I've got to get you back to the castle," he said. Zelda shook her head in disagreement.

"No, forget it. I don't want to go back yet. It's too gloomy there. I don't want to be by myself. I can't help but think about... things." Link looked up from his hands and stared into her eyes for a moment. He was searching for something.

"Were you truly good friends with my sister?" he asked, carefully.

"Yes. We were, in my opinion, at least." He looked away and was silent.

"So you're alone alot." He said, after a bit.

"Yes. It's terrible. I was with Catherine alot when we were children. Then, we grew older and we didn't see each other as much. But now... I'm sorry. Never mind." She stopped and bit her lip.

"It's all right." His hand brushed against hers, and a shiver went down Zelda's spine. Their eyes met, and before she knew what was happening, they were leaning in, their lips touched, and he enveloped her in a warm, needful kiss. Her heart beat as fast as a running horse's hooves hitting the ground, her temperature rising, fireworks going off in her head. It was over almost before it started, and they parted, both breathing a bit more heavily than before. Link looked in her eyes, a flame burning in his, and kissed her again, this time more fervently than before. Zelda obliged, her mind racing with sketchy and quick thoughts. She pulled away after a time, and stood, taking his hand.

"Come with me," she said, and ran out of the alley, Link following close behind.