Hello! Welcome to my newest Zelda story, and my first one with an "M" rating! Please note that this story is unrelated to my other Zelda stories. Also, please note that I realize that this chapter does not seem to merit the high rating, but keep in mind that this is only the first chapter. The rating is more for what I have planned in subsequent chapters.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda series, in whole or in part.
I yawned and snuggled under the covers, trying to shield myself from the cold air. I heard the door creak open, and then footsteps approaching my bed. I peered up at the stranger leaning over my bed through my half-closed eyelids.
"I missed you," I whispered.
"I missed you, too," he whispered back, his cerulean eyes shining in the bright moonlight streaming in through the windows.
He leaned over me and lightly kissed my lips. I smiled up at him, feeling the warmth of his love surrounding me. "I'll always be here for you, Zelda," he said softly as he began to undress. "Don't you ever forget that."
"I won't, Link, I promise," I told him, my grin widening as I moved over to make room for him.
He slid in under the covers, pulling me to him and covering my lips with his. I opened my mouth and welcomed his tongue, letting it glide across my teeth before it tangled with mine.
"Link," I murmured once he pulled away. "I want you."
He positioned itself on top of me, using his arms to hold himself over me. I ran my hands over his muscles, feeling every ripple and wave. He took in a deep breath as I touched him, and shivered a bit.
"Are you cold, my love?" I asked him, looking into his eyes.
"Not at all, darling. It's just your touch...you don't know what you do to me, Zelda."
He laid down flat on top of me, pulling the sheets up higher and kissing me. His lips moved to my neck as he ran his fingers through my hair. He began to trail his kisses further down, and he shifted his hands to the curve of my waist, then my hips, then lower still...
"Link, please," I begged him. "Take me now."
"Whatever you say, Princess."
Before we knew it, our little midnight tryst was over. We laid in each other's arms for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow, before deciding Link had best be leaving.
"Good night," he whispered, giving me a kiss before getting up. "Wait, I forgot something." Link leaned over me and kissed my belly, gently patting it. "Good night to you, too, little one."
He was the only one I'd told thus far. After all, it was his child, or so I hoped.
The problem would be telling my husband that.
"You'd better go before we get caught," I told him.
"I know. I just can't let you go," Link admitted as he got dressed.
"I can't let you go, either, but I have to. If anyone ever finds out about this affair, Link-"
"I know," he cut me off. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. And with that, he was gone.
Once the door closed behind him, I turned onto my right side, towards the windows. The bed was still warm from our heated encounter; I tried to absorb as much of it as I could.
I buried my face in the pillows, where his scent still lingered. I made a mental note to wash the sheets in the morning, as my husband was due back in the afternoon.
"Good night, my little baby," I whispered into the dark, gently patting my belly. I was barely six weeks along, so I hadn't even started showing yet.
I curled up and tried to fall asleep, but instead became lost in thought. I know I'm a married woman that should be devoted to my husband. And on top of that, I'm the Princess of Hyrule; what kind of example was I setting?
Yet somehow, I still find myself in the arms of Link, my true love and (hopefully) the father of my child. How wrong could it be, really, to be with him, when he was my first and still my only true love? I was with him before I even learned of my engagement to Prince Joachim of Termina.
I thought I could come to love Prince Joachim, and forget Link. But the reality is, I do not love my husband. Not as a friend, or a lover, or anything. I can hardly stand to be around him; everything about him makes my stomach turn. He is an attractive man, I will give him that. But that in itself presents even more of a problem.
You see, Joachim is a womanizer. He has been ever since I've known him; I can see it in the way he acts around other women. And his behavior has not stopped with our marriage. If anything, it's only worsened. I can nearly guarantee that he has bedded other women during our marriage, although my father thinks so highly of him, for whatever foolish reason, that I dare not say anything until I have genuine proof.
On the other hand, there's Link. I realize two wrongs do not make a right, but I do not see my affair with Link as revenge. Link just means so much to me-not only do we genuinely love each other, but our love, along with our friendship, has survived so many things. He has always been there for me, protecting me in the face of danger and saving me from fates worse than death.
I have never doubted Link's loyalty to me. He can have his pick of Hylian women, but he only has eyes for me, and I know it, as he reminds me of it regularly. He is so brave and strong, yet caring and loving. Whereas Joachim...
Joachim is a pompous, vain, womanizing leech. And that is an understatement.
Which is part of what concerns me about revealing my pregnancy to him. We have only been intimate once in our six-week marriage, and that is when we consummated it on our wedding night. And he is so full of himself that I know he will go around boasting about how virile he is, impregnating me during our first and only time.
Since that awful night, I have managed to make excuses not to be intimate with him. For one thing, he is rarely here, insisting he has many diplomatic duties to attend to. And even when he is around, I manage to convince him that I am too tired, or not feeling well. Thus far it has worked, since we've only spent about two days a week together in the last six weeks.
I sighed as I stared out the window. Joachim would be back in less than a day, and I would have to find a way to evade his advances yet again. I can't even stomach kissing him, because anytime he gets close to me I can smell other women on him. How ignorant does he think I am?
I flopped onto the other side and squeezed my eyes shut, disturbed by my line of thinking. Every time I think about the fact that I, a married woman of royal birth, am carrying on with a man outside the nobility, I start to feel guilty. Yet I still do it anyway, because Link makes me happy. Happier than anyone has ever made me.
At last I could feel sleep overcoming me. I breathed deeply, taking in Link's scent once again, before drifting off to sleep.
I awoke to the early morning sunlight streaming in through the windows. I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. With a sigh, I finally got out of bed to dress for breakfast.
I put on a green dress and tied my long, golden hair into a bun before making my way downstairs to the special dining room reserved for the royal family and its guests.
"Good morning, dearest," my father greeted me, kissing my cheek. "I hope you slept well, even without Joachim."
"I slept fine, Father," I reassured him. And you can thank Link for that, not Joachim.
"Come, come, eat some breakfast," he said, pulling out my chair for me. I sat down and scooted the chair closer to the table, as the servants brought in platters full of meats, pastries, fruits, and eggs prepared in various ways, setting them on the table.
I piled my plate high with the delicious foods, my pregnancy beginning to tell through my heavy appetite as of late. Since Joachim would often make me feel guilty about eating so much, I dare not do it when he was around. At least my father did not seem to be bothered by it-although he often took Joachim's side, he believed my eating so much must mean that I'm happy, so he wasn't about to attempt to stop me.
Or so I thought.
"Zelda, must you eat that much?"
"Father, I'm hungry."
"That much is obvious. But why so much food?"
I sighed as my fork clattered to the plate. "Father, please, let me eat in peace. I get enough pestering about my appetite from Joachim."
"That is why I asked, Zelda. As your faithful husband, he has put much effort into looking out for you. I think you should listen when he tells you that you must better manage your appetite."
Yes, Joachim, a faithful husband...that's a laugh. "I can think for myself," I muttered.
"I know that, but still..."
"Father, please! If you really insist on knowing why I eat so much, and on taking Joachim's side yet again, over your own daughter, who happens to be your only child, then fine, I'll tell you!" I shouted, jumping up from my chair. "It's because I am with child!" With that, I crumpled my napkin and threw it onto my plate, then turned on my heel and stormed out of the room.
I made it upstairs to my room and slammed the door. Trying to catch my breath, I collapsed onto the bed, panting. As the tears started to roll down my face, I gave in, curling up into a ball and crying.
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Go away!" I shouted.
"It's Impa," a woman's voice called back.
"Come in," I said.
I could hear my close friend and former nursemaid come in, closing the door behind her. She walked to the bed and stood there, until I finally rolled over to face her. She calmly handed me a handkerchief to dry my eyes. After doing so, I sat up, and allowed her to pull me into a comforting hug.
"Whatever is the matter, Your Highness?"
"I'm so tired of my father taking Joachim's side all the time. And he angered me so much at breakfast that I made the mistake of revealing to him that I'm pregnant."
"Oh, I see. Does Link know?"
My eyes widened.
"Please, Princess, I've known all along," Impa explained.
"Well, in that case, yes, he knows. In fact, he was the only one I told. I intended it to remain that way for awhile longer, but my slip-up this morning certainly changed that."
"Your Grace, I know you probably do not want to hear this right now, but you must take action."
I glared at her. "Are you saying that I must keep away from Link? He is the father of my child! I am almost completely sure of that!"
"No, Princess, that is not necessarily what I meant. I want you to follow what's in your heart. If you want to stay faithful to your husband at all costs, then by all means, do so. However, if you feel you belong with Link, then stay with him. But you can not carry on with two men. It is unfair to both of them, and to your unborn child, and to the kingdom as a whole. You must make up your mind."
"I don't know what to do," I whined.
"First of all, think through everything. I'm sure you're aware that whichever path you choose will carry massive consequences. You must decide which is more important to you-love, or duty. I know your father would say duty, but I am not going to lecture you on that. It is your decision to make, and nobody else's. Now, no more tears, okay?"
It was then that I noticed that Impa had set a decanter and a glass on the nightstand next to the bed. I poured myself some water and sipped at it.
"I'll tell your father that you are a little tired, but you will be down once you rest awhile," Impa spoke up before hugging me once more.
"Thank you so much, Impa."
"Just promise me that you will decide soon. You know you can always confide in me, but you also know that both of us can get into much trouble, should certain persons learn this information. It is best for everyone involved if you decide as soon as possible."
"I promise," I answered, looking her right in the eyes as I spoke.
Once Impa left the room, I set down the water glass and sank down on the bed, unable to shake my overwhelming feelings of shame, worry, and frustration.
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