Wow, sorry for the ridiculous delay… I've been recovering and busy doing stuff. I promise you future chapters shall not have such an excruciating delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I apologize in advance for its lack of length. Now on to the notes for my reviewers whom I love so much!

Sam: Here's your long awaited chapter! Now you don't need to kill me ) thanks for bein my beta reader, it definitely helps!

Inuchick: Recovery is long, but going very well! Function wise I'm doin pretty damn good, its only my fine balance that's suffering but hell I don't care I'm healthy that's all I care about. But I'm glad you liked that chapter, here is the long awaited chapter 9 that I took way too friggin' long to write.

Otakurec: Glad you liked! Here's chapter 9

Water Goddess: Thank you! Heres my update FINALLY

Ygfi: Thanks!

Lilykat: Its about time you got an account! You should write something though ) Id be glad to read it. Im glad you enjoyed the chapter

J.L. Zielesch Those ads are a buzz kill eh? Glad you liked though! Here's my update

Wow 7 reviews, I feel popular! Haha. Onto the story.

"Zelda…. Zelda wake up." I felt someone shaking me, and I groaned a little, smiling at the sound of Link's voice. I sighed deeply, turning onto my back and sitting up expecting to find Link before me. But rather, I was met with Nabooru standing just several feet from me, and an almost fully dressed Link kneeling beside me. A few moments passed before I realized that I was still bare from the night before, and to confirm this, I glanced down at myself, scrambling for my dress tossed aside in the passion of the night before.

"Nabooru, wishes to speak with us" Link explained, while I tried to clothe myself as quickly as I could manage in an attempt to get over my sheer embarrassment, though the burning in my cheeks was making it difficult.

"It is about time the two of you finally wed." She started simply, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Oh. Why… yes. We eloped… I am sure my father has discovered this by now. I wavered slightly with my words as Link stood mystified that Nabooru had caught wind of their secret wedding so quickly.

"Hmm yes. Your father will not be a happy man." The bluntness of this reminder only drove deeper the fact that I could never return to Hyrule castle without great risk and this thought depressed me as I actually gave thought to the fact I may never see my father as distant as we were.

"But I do not think you came all this way from Gerudu Valley merely to comment on our marriage." Her weight shifted and a different mood settled over her.

"Correct."

"Then what brings you here?"

"What I tell you is in confidence, not a soul should know this."

"You have our word." Her uncharacteristic change in demeanor worried me, even Link seemed to tense at the sudden almost timid behavior of the strong Gerudu warrior.

"It seems that I may be with child." We were about to congratulate her out of instinct, but something about her tone halted our initial reaction. A still silence hung between us, and I could almost swear it was quiet enough to hear each other blink. I was the one who finally broke the silence, though it seemed to bring more awkward tension than the silence had,

"There is something else you wish to tell us. You have come a long way to tell us you are pregnant," I cut off the rest of my sentence, for I knew that Nabooru could piece together what I was asking her.

"There is no need to be subtle," She began and I assumed she was referencing what she was about to say and not my previous statement, "Ganondorf is the father." her posture only showed the slightest shift, almost too subtle to notice. But it was a large enough signal for me to know how big of an impact the pregnancy had on her. I wanted to ask her if she was sure, but I felt that the question may sound insulting if I were t imply I thought she were a woman who would have the parenthood of her child a questionable fact. She had come to us to tell us this, and such an extreme fact would not be something she would tell us were she not sure. Which also made me curios as to why she had come to tell us this. While trying to balance this, my mind was trying to accept the news. Of all men, Ganondorf. The third piece of the triforce and a man obsessed with power. To think of Nabooru being with that man was almost enough to throw me into a rage, all my fear and hatred boiled up for a moment. But I settled myself, she had come to find us for help and I would not turn a friend in need away unaided, no matter my own opinions. "My Gerudus know that I am with child. I fear that if I tell them the patronage of my child, they will overprotect me given previous circumstances and distract them from their true duties. And it may bring even more unwanted anxiety. If I lie, and say that I do not know who the father may be they will question my judgment as a leader. Both would be bad for my people, I am at a crossroad and each path leads to the snake pit." She still remained ridged, but her tone was changing, and her expression lost its stoic appeal.

"You should be honest with your people. The effects of lying to them may be worse than the effects of admitting who fathered your child." I explained. I glanced over at Link, he seemed to be shifting rather awkwardly and I knew that he would be unable to contribute any useful advice in such a situation.

"I know it is wrong for a leader to lie to her people. But they may not respond well to Ganondorf being the man who fathered my child. He became power hungry, betrayed all of Hyrule and his own people. It is not a matter they will think lightly of." I did not think of the matter lightly either, and when I glanced at Link again it was obvious it was taking him a great deal of restraint to hold his tongue.

"I advise you, as I have often helped my father in leading the people of Hyrule, that honesty with your people is the best choice Nabooru. Please, do not stand so. Sit with us." I felt awkward for not inviting her to make herself more comfortable sooner, but it mattered not as she denied my request.

"I cannot stay for long. There is much turmoil growing amongst my people as well. Not only from my pregnancy, but they seem anxious since the fall of Ganondorf. Seven years of warfare and oppression are not easily washed away. They seem tense, as if they sense that there is still a power pressing down upon the valley. I must return to them soon." She sucked in a deep breath, "Please, pay a visit to the valley my friends I assure you this time you will be received much more warmly." She managed a smile as she aimed that comment to the silent Hero who had yet to find his tongue. "But this talk shall be arduous, I fear for my people and this child. I beseech you Princess Zelda, for I may be calling upon your services in the near future. As from you, great Hero of Time." She bowed slightly, I returned the gesture and a dumbfounded Link awkwardly bowed his head, obviously not used to such formalities.

We watched her disappear through the dark hallways of the Forest Temple and once alone we finally had time to allow the news she had given us to settle. I bit my lip, greatly troubled by what she had told me as I recalled my dream.

"Link, I fear that her people's anxiety is not in vain." I told him, my brows furrowed.

"Ganondorf." Was all Link could manage to say, I could see he was still restraining himself.

"Link," I said cautiously, reaching out a hand, my fingers curled precariously before fanning them to place my hand upon his shoulder.

"How could she see anything in that monster?" His head turned sharply, his expression nearly frightened me.

"I do not know. But that is not what we must think about now. She came for our help, I know she was asking for more than what she directly asked. When the Gerudu are tense that is never a good sign." My memories of my dream resurfaced, and coupled with the news Nabooru revealed to us I felt a sickening sense of dread from the core of my being. But things are at peace I tried to tell myself, and tried to force those thoughts from my mind. "But there is naught we can do as of yet, best not to worry if you do not know what you are worried for," I smiled a bit, "For now lets enjoy this new peace!" My words seemed to have settled him, his expression softening.

"You're right, as always my princess." He leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"I already told you Link, you don't need to call me princess." Despite my words and the smile that had found its way to my lips, I could not shake my fears.