Yay, 3 reviews. :P And yeah, Vladimir, I entirely forgot about this fic too. Saw it and was like, what the hey, another chapter. D:
Thanks, Dark Lady, I definitely will update about Li-Paintchoi. :D
Sunlight flooded the room. Birds were chirping. What a strange dream. Dancing with the Princess of Hyrule.
Epona, he realized. He had to go feed Epona.
Link's eyes flickered open, and he sat up, disoriented. His gaze traveled to the silk sheets, and then to the ornate window.
"Oh," he mumbled. "Right."
He flopped back down on the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling of the canopy bed. Sighing, he rolled over, facing the dresser. How had this happened? A week ago, he wouldn't have even dreamed of stepping foot into Hyrule Castle-or even something as ridiculous as dancing.
There was a piece of paper on the dresser on a tray with breakfast. Frowning, he took the note and read it apprehensively, full of dread. It was written in curly, flowing script. As he further progressed down the note, his insides began to shrivel up and when he was half-way through, he had started to cough with nausea. Obviously, Zelda was taking this too far.
"Dear Paintychoi-kins,
This is your beautiful Zelda. When you're done eating your breakfast; which I prepared (it's just like those poor people who cook for each other), you can come see me after! Isn't that great, honey poo? I cooked your food with extra care. Make sure you eat all of it! You have to grow big and strong and handsome enough for me to marry you!
When you're done eating, come meet me in the castle gardens. We have lots to talk about-like our engagement! Don't forget, Paint-poo. If you get lost, Impa will guide you. Trust me, if you need her, she'll come to you. She always knows.
Link looked around the room nervously, just in case Zelda's attendant was about to spring out of nowhere. When he was satisfied the only person in the room was him, he looked back down at the note.
Please don't be late Paintchoi, darling love sweetie honey. I'll be very disappointed in you. But I'll definitely forgive you! Because I love you so so so so so so much.
P.S. The stable boys are taking very good care of Epona. Don't worry about her.
P.P.S. Wear the clothes that you were supposed to wear to bed last night. I thought maybe you'd be too tired to change, so I made sure they would be acceptable in daylight.
Love the most beautiful woman you'll ever lay eyes on,
Zelda
Link stared disbelievingly at the note before him, and then crumpled it up and threw it into a corner. He highly doubted the breakfast Zelda had provided was edible.
There was a bowl on the tray that was still steaming. Link blew away the smoke and stared at the liquid, half-expecting it to fester. It was a murky brown, with several chunks of unidentified substance floating and popping in and out of sight randomly. No odour whatsoever, Link noted, bewildered.
He picked up the spoon hesitantly and dipped it into the soup. He stared at the spoonful, indecisive. Was it perhaps his last?
Scoffing, he put the spoon back into the bowl. When had he learned to trust Zelda this much? It was insane. She could have put poison in the bowl, for all he knew. She'd only known him for a week. And it was strictly business.
Link threw his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, picking up the bowl of soup. There was a potted plant by the door, looking frail and vulnerable. For a minute, Link felt guilty. But certainly not guilty enough to drink it. With one swift motion, he emptied the contents of the bowl into the soil of the plant.
He felt foolish immediately, after seeing the liquid be absorbed by the soil. What was he expecting, an explosion?
Link strolled over to the chair, picking up the clothes he had been too worn-out to examine. It was a simple black tunic, very soft, Link noted. No beads, flashing jewels, or anything. Zelda must have looked long and hard for this.
After changing, he left the room, closing the door behind him quietly. Now he faced a new dilemma; which way to go? There were two ways to go-left or right. And he couldn't remember which, having pretended to half-alive the first time he had gone through, and dead-tired the second time.
"Baron Paintchoi," said a voice. It was thick, clogged with hatred and a lack of proper understanding of the Hylian language. "I am sorry we had to meet, yesterday, under such…unfortunate circumstances.."
Link's blood ran cold. "Lord Esgar."
He turned to his left, eyeing the pudgy man with equal distaste.
"It is nice to see you here," Esgar said haltingly, each word an obstacle. "I hear you are after Zelda's hand…"
"Yes," Link replied. As much as he wanted to taunt Esgar, it was best not to get on his bad side alone in the hall. "You are, as well?"
Esgar nodded, and a slow grin spread across his face. "Then we are…how do you say…competitors for her money?"
"Don't you mean love?" Link asked, confused.
"Yes," he said, and his eyes glimmered for a second with lust. "I am sorry. Slip of tongue, yes?"
Esgar burst into laughter, and walked past Link. A wave of foul, unbearable body odour washed over Link and his eyes began to water. A little bit of guilt slipped off Link's shoulders, but not enough to strengthen his resolve. Could he really do it? Could he really make Esgar's heart stop beating? The only solution was to discuss it with Zelda.
If he could even find her.
After he had gone down the very, very long hallway, it had split up into four corridors; going with his gut, he had gone with the farthest to the left, and ended up in a chamber with eight corridors, spreading in all directions.
"This is probably how they keep out intruders," Link muttered aloud. "Get them lost and have them starve to death after a week. No need for a moat when you've got this."
"The moat keeps out most of the intruders. The corridors are like a filter, just to get rid of the slightly more cunning."
Link whirled around. "Who's there?"
"Zelda told me to keep an eye on you," the woman said, amused. "I am Impa, her attendant."
"Oh," he said, relieved.
She was a sturdy woman, this Impa. Her hair was shockingly white, but it was not from age; no, she looked rather young, in her thirties. Her tone was gruff, but underneath there was a gentle, nurturing tenor. She looked like she knew when to bend to Zelda's will; but when to put her foot down, also. Impulsively, Link congratulated the king on finding such a perfect attendant for his wilful daughter.
And her eyes.
They were exactly like Delva's.
"You're a Sheikah?" Link asked, surprise colouring his tone.
She smiled and began to walk through one the corridors, still talking. "You saw Delva, then?"
"Yes," Link said, following Impa. She was surprisingly fast; no doubt she had training in fighting to protect Zelda when the need arose. "How did you know?"
"My people, the Shiekah…there are not so many as you think. In fact, it's rare for any Hylians to see a Shiekah even once in their life. Even if they did see one, it would be doubtful they could even recognize the Shiekah for what they are."
"Why is that?" They were in a dark passageway, and now Link had to squint to keep track of Impa in the shadows.
"Well; to sum it up-the Shiekah have always been the guard of the Royal Family. And many, many centuries ago, there were plenty of Shiekah; all amazingly skilled and just as equally dangerous."
"What happened?" Link murmured, entranced
"Well," Impa replied, grimacing. "We had a very wealthy visitor. All went well-the King and Queen thought they had found a suitable groom for their daughter, until he told them what he really wanted. He wanted the Shiekah."
Link frowned. "You know, it seems trouble always brews when you have a wealthy visitor."
Impa laughed. "Yes…well, anyway-the King and Queen were furious; after all, the Shiekah had served them faithfully for centuries, and they were people, not animals or things to give. It was not their choice to make."
"Go on."
"Well, the man was furious at being refused his desire-he threatened to wage war against Hyrule if he was not granted at least half of the Shiekah. You see, the training a Shiekah undergoes is not easy; it seems our bodies are more evolved, our reflexes sharper, our instincts natural and always correct. Only the Shiekah can handle the rigorous training; and only another Shiekah may bestow the proper guidance."
"So the King and Queen were prepared to wage war against the man, who was a thousand times more powerful than Hyrule. They knew it was hopeless, but to make a last front for freedom-refusing to be whipped into subservience…"
"But their subjects," Link protested. "What about the common people?"
"They agreed to fight, every last one of them, to die fighting for Hyrule."
Link was stunned. Fighting together as one? The peasants and the wealthy?
"Even the nobles?" he managed to say.
"Yes," Impa said sadly. "Even the nobles. They, in fact, were prepared to drain every last resource for weapons, for allies, for spies. Unfortunately, that cannot be said today."
Such selflessness, Link thought gloomily. What would they say, the people so long ago, if they knew how their descendants acted today?
"So what happened?"
"Well, the Shiekah were aghast that all of Hyrule was just going to war for their sake. It was decided that half of them would go-some young, some old, leaving the rest behind to teach the future generations."
Impa stopped. "Zelda is waiting for you. I will tell you the rest of the story later, Link."
Then she turned around and stared at him sadly, her eyes raw with pain. "I know what she has ordered you to do, and I have tried to convince her otherwise-but surely you know by now how stubborn she can get. You must try to stop her. She cannot realize it now, but to be responsible for one's death is a heavy burden on one's conscience. Many years later, she will regret it, wishing she had found another way, a solution."
Link frowned. "What could I possibly do? She's bent on it. What can she do, to get out of this marriage?"
Impa cocked her head to one side, her gaze suddenly burning, as if the answer was obvious.
"Impa! Have you brought him yet?" Zelda's familiar voice rang out impatiently, echoing across the passageway. "I've had to wait for almost half an hour now!"
"Yes, Princess!" Impa called out with ever-enduring tolerance. "Go!"
Link rubbed his eyes as he stepped out into the light. "What…where are we?"
"Welcome to the Castle Courtyard," Zelda said cheerfully. "Had a hard time getting here, did you?"