Zelda returned to her room, mind abuzz, and found Link sitting on the bed, flipping through a tome of history.

"Did you have a nice ride?" Link asked without looking up.

"It ended up being cancelled," Zelda said simply, sitting beside Link on the bed. At a respectable distance, of course.

"Wait… you knew about the ride?"

"I was worried, so I asked around. A stable hand alerted me," Link said, flipping another page of his book. "Why did you cancel the ride?"

"There was a misunderstanding. Besides, wouldn't it be strange if I went riding alone with a man who isn't my husband?"

"I wouldn't mind," Link said to her surprise. He set the book down and turned to face her.

"So long as you and Groose are discreet enough to avoid causing a scandal in court, and you are honest with me, I wouldn't get in the way of anything you choose to do, Zelda. I understand that our marriage was never based on love. If it will make you happy, I can have an annulment…"

Oh no, no, no, no, no.

This couldn't be happening. They were not actually having this conversation.

"What… what kind of woman do you take me for?" she asked, all of the anger from before bubbling back up to the surface.

"A woman who deserves something better."

By the holy Goddess herself, he was using almost the exact same phrasing as Groose!

Is this what the entire court thinks of me and Link?

"You… You're an idiot!" she shouted, jumping out of the bed. She turned on her heel to face Link. Everything that she wanted to say and didn't say to Groose bursting out before she could stop it.

"You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me! There is no better. My heart is yours in every single way, regardless of whether you reciprocate, and I would never, ever betray you like that because I love you!"

Silence.

As Zelda breathed, cheeks flushed and heart racing, staring at Link, her mind was spinning in chaos.

You've ruined it!

What were you thinking?

Goddess help us -

Then she felt Link's hands on her own. Link stood facing her, his brilliant green eyes staring into her own.

"If I'm an idiot, then what are you?" he asked softly. "For not realizing that I'm in love with you too?"

Zelda took the plunge, and she kissed him.

And everything was right.