This story is dedicated to Jack: the bane of my life. I loath you with all my heart.

Seriously do you even ship these guys please don't read this

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I could feel every eye in the room trained on my back as I knelt before the King of Hyrule. As a child I'd looked forward to this day, and as I grew up a little I had started to dread it. Now it was happening, I was right in the middle of it, and all I could feel was how much effort it was to speak loud enough to be heard in the great hall.

"Do you swear allegiance to Hyrule, now, and for as long as you shall live?" The King said, holding an elegant sceptre before me. It was silver, the tip encrusted with an emerald. The King owned a ruby one made of gold, and the Queen a sapphire one. The silver sceptre was for the heir.

I placed a hand on the sceptre my father offered me, and looked him dead in the eye.

"I, Link, prince of Hyrule, do pledge life and limb to your service, and to the protection of this kingdom and its people."

Father smiled. It reached his eyes, the skin around them crinkling. He turned away from me for a moment.

"Now, being of age, and heir apparent," he declared, presenting a crown that I barely saw before it rested on my sandy hair, "from henceforth you shall be Crown Prince of Hyrule."

Everyone began to clap, which was my cue to stand. Father beamed at me and clapped a hand on my shoulder, before turning me to face my subjects. The great hall was filled with faces I mostly didn't recognise, probably from lower down or from other kingdoms. I spotted Zelda out of the corner of my eye, up at the front of the hall like me but to the side, swept away to put the focus on myself. She was smiling brighter than anyone else, and applauding in quite an unrefined manner for a princess. I couldn't help but smile.

I was glad that we were seated together at the celebratory feast afterwards, since I hadn't been able to see her for a couple of days, too busy preparing for my coronation.

"Good evening, Prince Link!" My sister said as we were seated, a huge grin on her face. I grinned back at her.

"My lady, so good of you to join us this evening!" I said in my most noble-sounding accent. (I only really used it when talking to other people of nobility; my sister and I found far too strange to use all the time.)

"Well, rumours were that the food tonight is supposed to be super good." She whispered excitedly, and I had to laugh.

Zelda was easily my best friend. We were only just over a year apart in age, which I think helped us understand each other easier. It was such a relief to have her by my side at the end of the ceremony, since royal duties were so rehearsed and stuffy and Zelda was like a breath of fresh air. She was charming, hilarious and always knew just when I was getting overwhelmed with conversation, at which point she'd tactfully take over to give me a break. She was only just nearing seventeen this summer and she was already a brilliant young woman. Everybody thought so.

"I convinced Dad you'd need a copilot tonight," Zelda said as we were served our first course.

I smiled and squeezed her arm. "Thanks."

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After a drink or two, the smiles came easier to me, conversations becoming smoother and less awkward. I had to be social at this party, Father had told me, since this was where I could start to build on allegiances and become acquainted with my future subjects. Zelda had made sure I didn't drink too much, which I noted I'd have to thank her for afterwards as I watched some red-faced earl or ambassador of some sort practically topple over on the other side of the hall.

I spotted Father and he beckoned me over. As I got close he said, "Are you still alright to dance?" to which we both laughed. I nodded, and he gestured to the band, who started playing dancing music. Zelda appeared out of nowhere and I offered my hand, leading her out onto the dance floor.

It was customary for the Prince to dance first at his coronation, but thankfully this was a tradition I could handle with ease. I loved dancing, and Zelda was an excellent partner. We twirled around the dance floor and even got an applause before we were joined by the other guests.

If you'd have walked in on the scene, you would have thought it was Zelda's coronation if it weren't for the crown on my head. She looked radiant, twirling gracefully in her purple gown, her golden hair matching its movements as they fanned out in the spin, and exuding a confidence that I don't think I'd ever own, not when off the dance floor or a horse's back.

"Are you doing alright?" Zelda asked me, and I nodded.

"Just can't wait till your coronation, I think." I laughed, but Zelda looked concerned.

"You can't just expect me to take the crown from you when it's time to inherit the kingdom." She said sternly, and I almost tripped as I tensed. Zelda continued regardless. "It's true that you didn't ask to be born first, but you're a strong leader when you need to be, Link. You're not going to struggle as King."

I grimaced, but she only pushed my hair out of my face and adjusted my crown while in mid-step.

"I'll be there to back you up anyway, promise." She said, and smiled so genuinely that I couldn't help but return it. I pulled up my arm to twirl her as a wordless thank you, but as she span away from me there was a great crash from the other side of the room.

People started screaming. Glass fell everywhere like diamond rain as the windowpanes along the south wall shattered. Zelda jolted to a stop. I saw my mother running towards us and my father draw his sword, which I copied. They were ceremonial, but they'd still do a lot of damage to any unwanted intruders.

I tried to see what had happened and ran towards the windows where father was stood, and as the guests quickly cleared out I saw the golem, easily ten feet tall and stood in one of the empty windows, looking down at us. The night sky behind him was pitch black and seemed to swallow the light so that he was barely more than a shadow, but I'd read enough about golems to know one when I saw it. He appeared to be made from tree bark and sticks.

He jumped down into the hall.

Father shouted and ran at him, but the monster knocked him down like it was shooing away a fly. I stood my ground as it began to walk forward, and I heard my mother scream.

The scream didn't really register until I also noticed that I was on the floor, and the side of my head hurt. I looked up to see the golem walking towards my mother and sister in seemingly slow motion, and I scrabbled for my sword. I was moving far too slowly as I watched my mother get pushed down, and my sister get snatched up by a single, giant hand. I managed to get up as the golem turned back towards the windows, but before I knew it he had knocked me down again and my head was killing. All sound carried in slow motion and as my vision blurred, the last thing I saw before I blacked out was my sister being snatched away.