Warning: this story contains material that is for adults only.

THIS STORY IS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN SHOULD ZELDA BE PROMISED TO ANOTHER. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE OR OTHERWISE BE IN ANY WAY SIMILIAR TO THE OTHER THREE STORIES I POSTED. IT IS SIMPLY A "WHAT IF" SCENARIO.

IT IS NOT INTENDED TO ACCURATELY PORTRAY ANY PART OF THE ZELDA HISTORY.

 

Zelda stared out her bedroom window at the looming clouds approaching the castle, thinking about Link. Down below her were servants lighting the torches outside the drawbridge. Her father had ordered that everyone’s business be conducted during daylight hours, and unless one had to be in Hyrule Field for an emergency, all citizens were to remain at home, away from the awful creatures that came out at nightfall, threatening peril to those who crossed their paths.

The chill in the early evening air blew around Zelda’s shoulders and she pulled her wrap around her tighter, wishing it were Link’s arms warming her instead of the cloth.

She thought of yesterday, and the thrill of the ride on his horse, his embrace around her as they rode underneath the moon from Lake Hylia, where they had gone to watch the sunset, against her father’s orders. Even though Link was a hero, he was but a peasant, and the rumours of her father’s decision to marry her to Prince Athos had been confirmed. Angered by this, Link rode to the castle demanding to see her. When he was turned away, he’d caught sight of her in her window, and she climbed down the vines when the sun was about to set, and they rode away in secret, caught up in nothing but one another.

It was at Lake Hylia that they had confessed their undying love for each other, and shared their first kiss, which was far more full of hunger and passion than Zelda ever imagined. Link had left her coming up for air, almost completely breathless.

His change from a boy to a man had been quite evident.

As children, they’d spent their time playing mischievous games in the castle, or on some sort of adventure, trying to keep the Triforce away from Ganondorf.

Now those times were spent in his arms, away from the world’s prying eyes, away from the pressures of her royal duty.

Zelda’s father could marry her off to anyone he wished, but her heart would always remain with Link.

He was the one person she most trusted, and she came alive under his touch. As the thoughts of yesterday raced through her mind Zelda felt the hot blush staining her cheeks.

She heard Link’s passionate voice in her ear, felt his hot kisses on her neck, and his careful hands on her body.

She closed the shutter doors and walked to the table by her bed, and lighting the candle, made her way down the hall to join her father for dinner. She couldn’t let her father see on her face what she was feeling, or else he would really be mad.

As she pushed open the door leading into the large dining room, she heard her father’s voice looming throughout it, his angry eyes upon her.

"You are late again, Zelda."

Not meeting his gaze, she took her seat at her chair across from him while the servants prepared her table setting.

"Look at me, Zelda," he said sternly.

Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his.

"I’m sorry, father."

Satisfied that she had succumbed to him, King Harkinian resumed eating.

There was no sound except his incessant chewing and slurping as he gulped down his wine.

For a middle aged king, he had no table manners whatsoever.

Zelda sliced her roast with tender grace and lifted her fork to her mouth as she had been taught by her mother.

Well, at least one member of this royal family could act civilized when seated for dinner.

In between gulps, Harkinian sucked his teeth and cleared his throat.

"Zelda, your fiance will be here tomorrow to call on you. I have received word from his page this morning. I expect you to be here. No more running off with Link. It’s time you let your feelings for him go by the wayside and honor your royal duty. Do you understand?"

She started to get up from her chair.

"Stop!" he ordered, holding up his hand.

She sat back down, pursing her lips.

"What?" she asked haughtily, folding her arms in defiance.

"Link is merely a peasant. He has been granted extra land in Kokiri Forest and received quite a hero’s ransom for his courageous act against Ganondorf, that I will acknowledge, but Zelda, he is not of noble blood, nor will he ever be. You cannot be with him. It is as simple as that."

"Yes, and your cold-hearted eyes would see it that way," she whispered, her face turned away from him.

"What was that?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she said, turning to face him.

Taking a deep breath, she focused her angry eyes right on him, and wodded up her napkin into a tight ball in her lap.

"I will marry Prince Athos, but I will never love him, father. Not in the way I love Link."

And with that she threw the balled-up napkin onto the table, pushed her chair back, and ran out of the room.

Impa had been standing against the door, in the corner, and had overheard every ill word spoken between the young princess and her father.

She had cared for Zelda ever since she was a baby, and this was the first time she’d ever seen the girl ache.

But Zelda was a woman now.

And she had new responsibilities as the future leader of Hyrule.

Her father was right. She would have to marry and go on about her business.

But Zelda’s heart would never heal if she could never be with the one she truly loved.

Impa bit her lip as she pondered whether or not she should go upstairs to her bedroom and comfort her, but decided to wait.

Throwing herself into the feather bed, letting it surround her and envelop her in all its warmth and softness, Zelda cried into her pillow full force, thankful that it softened her outbursts.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She jerked away, startled.

It was Impa.

She handed Zelda a handkerchief.

"Please don’t cry, your Highness," she pleaded.

Zelda took the handkerchief and started to blot her tear-stained cheeks.

"Oh, Impa, my father’s right. I should forget Link, but I can’t. He is my best friend, and the one my heart has chosen. How can I tell my heart no to something it knows all too well?"

Impa pulled her close and held the sobbing princess.

Maybe there was something she could do to help.

She had taken a great liking to the young Link and didn’t care much for the arrogant Prince Athos.

Link’s needs were simple. He’d never asked Zelda for more than her friendship, yet had risked his life defending her and her father’s kingdom against Ganondorf.

Impa had seen the way they began to look at each other as they were maturing. She'd had to break up a few fistfights between them when they were very little, when Zelda tried to steal Link's Kokiri sword one time, and he got mad at her.

But that fiery spirit that made him fight with her as a small child was no doubt the same spirit that was making him fall in love with her now.

Zelda cried for a long time in Impa's arms, and as the gray light outside turned to darkness, she felt her own darkness growing inside her, a realization that was threatening to separate her even more from her young lover, the realization that she soon would be a married woman, and it would not be to Link. There would be no more peaceful nights anymore.

In his tree house, Link covered the small opening over his bed that he used to watch the stars. It was beginning to rain, and Navi was now flying about, her brilliance filling the tree house with the light Link needed to see.

"There," he said, as he shoved the burlap into the hole. "That should hold it until I can get some more wood up here."

He settled back into bed, and pulled the covers up over him.

Navi flew to the post on the bed, and landed on it so she could talk to the troubled young man.

"It's Zelda, isn’t it?" she asked.

Link sighed. "Yes, Navi, it is. I don’t know what I shall do once she is married."

He fiddled with the edge of his blanket, biting his lip.

"I love her, Navi. I love her so much it hurts."

Navi's glow began to die down, and she sighed.

"I'm truly sorry, Link," she said sorrowfully.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" she asked.

"No, I'm afraid not," he answered, those words cutting through his heart.

"I guess I will be forced to watch her marry this prince, and my heart will die along with those words when she says "I do."

He rolled over on his back, his arm bent over his head, and he felt something cold on his cheek. It was a tear.

The next morning Zelda dressed and went to the Great Hall to meet with her fiance. He was announced as soon as his carriage had arrived at Hyrule Castle.

Feeling numb all over, she approached the doors of the Hall and they were opened for her and she stood there like a stiff tree branch, eyeing him coldly.

The King, sitting upon his throne, clapped his hands.

"Come!" he ordered, motioning his hands toward himself. "Come, we must plan this wedding."

Zelda did as her father ordered, and joined Athos at the throne. He bowed to her.

"Good morning, my beautiful Zelda," he said, placing his right foot behind his left and giving her a very exaggerated bow.

She curtsied, her lips pursed together.

As her father and Athos discussed details of her wedding, Zelda sat still, staring off into space.

Athos, knowing she wasn't paying any attention, leaned over to the King.

"I think we should be married sooner," he said. "I love her so much, your Highness, I want to make her happy."

He didn't even mean that.

But Zelda wasn't paying any attention to him, and her father was too excited to notice.

"Very well then," he said. "I believe Zelda's gown is ready, and all the invitations have been prepared, why not make it two weeks from today?"

Athos smiled. "I think you are making a very wise decision, your Highness."

Zelda's blank stare finally caught the attention of the King.

"Zelda," he said. "Zelda."

She broke her gaze and looked at him. "Yes, father?" she asked.

"You will be married exactly two weeks from today."

"Fine, father," she said, rising up to leave the room. She bowed to her father and to Athos, then left.

"I guess she's just nervous about it all," the King said. "Oh, of course," Athos said, not caring at all about Zelda. He just wanted to get his hands on her father's fortune.

As Zelda was walking through the courtyard back to her room, she thought she heard a noise.

"Psst! Zelda! Over here!" She turned to face the voice. Link's head popped out from behind a well-hidden bush. She ran to him, and he took her passionately in his arms and kissed her deeply.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"I'm to be married in two weeks," she said, her gaze lowering to the ground. "Oh, Link, what am I to do?"

"Don't worry, I'll think of something. Right now I just want to be close to you. Please kiss me."

As their lips touched once again, his mind raced, trying to think of any way he could be with her as much as possible before the two weeks were up. Maybe there would be a way to stall this wedding.

His hands wandered along her body, to her hips, and he kissed her neck, setting her on fire.

"Oh, Link," she murmured to him. "How I want you."

But they could not do what they both wanted to do there.

Feeling the heat rising within him as his hand closed over her breast, he had to muster all the strength he had to pull himself away.

"Zelda, my Zelda," he whispered. "I must control myself. We can't do this here. I must go before I am caught."

She pulled away, her breathing heavy. "Please come to me again, Link. Please. I need to feel your arms around me and your kisses on my lips."

"Trust me," he whispered. "You shall see me again."

Then he ran off into the shadows.

Over the next two weeks, they found at least five minutes together alone daily, where he would come to her and they would steal a few private moments together at the castle, hidden away.

Impa knew what was going on, because she would see Zelda's hot stained cheeks every night before she went to bed.

"It isn’t good that you are doing this, for if your father finds out, it could be disastrous," she said to her one night.

"I know," Zelda said. "But I love him, Impa. I will kiss him every day until I am married."

On the night before the wedding, Link could not stand it any longer. He'd waited for her, and wanted her. Tonight, he decided, he would make her his.

Approaching the castle from the right side, he carefully made his way past the guards. He remembered how to do this ever since the first time he'd come here, the first time he saw her. He knew how to sneak past them.

Pausing right underneath Zelda's window, he grabbed the vine and held it tightly and began to climb up.

The window was open just enough for him to enter unannounced.

Link's heart was racing as he approached the sleeping form on the bed. He had to stop and think for a minute. Had he really just managed to make it in here undetected by the palace guards outside her window? Zelda's back was to him, and her blond hair almost glistened in the dark, it was so beautiful, spilling over the pillow like it was. He stopped long enough to watch her body rise and fall with her breaths. He couldn't wait to run his fingers through her hair, to smell her next to him. He almost forgot to breathe.

He pulled back the sheer netting hanging from the sides of the huge four posts, and knelt on the bed softly. This may be the last time he would ever see her like this, and he wanted to etch tonight in his mind forever.

He couldn’t even think, his usual rational thoughts gone away as her scent filled his nostrils and made his body ache with fervent desire.

Leaning over her, his breathing becoming more full and passionate, he slowly pulled her long hair away from her shoulders, and lowered his lips onto her neck, soft groans escaping his throat.

"Zelda," he whispered in her ear, his hands encircling her from behind.

Startled, she flinched and let out a quiet shriek as she rolled over.

He pulled back, and when she realized who it was, her eyes grew wide.

"Link!" she exclaimed in surprise, catching herself from saying it too loudly, overcome by true happiness at seeing him here with her.

"Come here," he said passionately, pulling her close to his body.

Locking his lips to hers, his arms held her to him like a steel band, not about to let her go.

"You smell so beautiful, my darling"…

Sudden feelings of excitement swept through to her very core as she awakened fully, realizing she wasn't dreaming. He had come to be with her at last.

But she knew they might be caught.

"Link, what are you doing here? If my father's guards catch you"…

He hushed her lips with a deep kiss, then pulled back.

"Shhh, Zelda," he murmured into her ear, his hands wandering over her body, over her sheer nightgown.

"This is our last night together, I came here to show you how much I love you, Zelda," he whispered, his kisses traveling down her neck, to her shoulder, to just above her breasts.

"I ache for you so bad I can't stand it any longer. Athos may be about to be your husband, but he's not getting that most sacred part of you. Tonight I defy my king. I am going to love you until my body is exhausted, I don’t care if I have to go to the guillotine for it…"

He paused for a moment, about to undo her nightgown, but instead brought his lips to hers, and she could feel his tongue tracing them.

"Open your mouth, Zelda. Open your mouth so I can taste you."

Remembering their last deep kiss they'd shared at the lake, on the little island, away from the world, she gladly did as he told her to.

He moaned as she submitted to him, her tongue meeting his in this deepest of kisses.

He laced his fingers into hers, and clutching her wrists, held them down against her bed, forcing her to surrender to him.

"You taste so good," he whispered.

She arched her body up to his, sighing against his lips, aching for him to do even more to her than he was doing now.

She was enjoying the taste of his mouth against hers, his tongue forcefully exploring her.

"Don't leave me, Link," she begged him. "Don't leave"…

"Mmm mmm, no," he murmured, "No way"…

She pulled her hands out from his grasp, ripped open his tunic, and he pulled it away, exposing his hard muscular chest.

Even though they were not experienced lovers, they were loving each other now as if they had done this a million times before.

Link's hands traveled under her nightgown, and his warm touch made her tingle as he pushed the nightgown up over her shoulders, then she raised her arms, and he removed it effortlessly, tossing it to the floor. When her body was completely exposed to him, Link drew in a deep sharp breath, and clenched his jaw. He'd never seen anything so beautiful as he ran his hands along her female form, treating her like a delicate piece of china.

"Oh, you are so beautiful," he murmured as his mouth closed gently over her breast, and Zelda gasped, trying to stifle her arousal so she would not be heard. His tongue darted over it, sending shards of pleasure throughout her, right to her very soul. He'd touched her there at the lake, but had yet to do this.

She pulled his head closer, wanting him to take in more of her.

"Oh, Link," she whispered, breathing heavily.

At the same time, his hand wandered down between her legs, touching her in her most vital spot.

She thought she would explode from so much sensory overload.

Link moaned to her as he felt her body quickly responding to him. He knew that Athos would never be able to make her feel like this.

His fingers explored her, his mouth so warm and loving on her body as it switched from one breast to the other. Zelda knew nothing could ever come between them now.

Link's body was growing more aroused as he caressed her inner core, and his deep groans told Zelda he wouldn't be able to wait for her much longer.

Frantically tearing off his white hose, his body now free, he rose above her, and guided her hand down to touch him.

When her hand closed around him and began to stroke him in a sensuous rhythm, he closed his eyes and threw his head back. Then he looked at her deep in the eyes, then threw his head back again, that animal instinct in him taking over, as he began to move his body in response to her touch.

"There's nobody out there that could ever do to me what you're doing to me now, Zelda. Nobody. This warrior shall go into every battle remembering this night as long as he lives," he whispered.

When he looked down at her again, his eyes widened.

"I love you."

Stroking him with one hand, she ran her other hand along his chest.

"Link, I don't want another man to touch me…ever," she whispered back.

He knew she meant it.

"Then take me inside you, Zelda, and let me love you in the most ultimate way that I can," he pleaded to her in a passionate low voice, straining to keep from saying it too loudly.

Her heart beat wildly as he spread her thighs apart and moved against her, breathing in deep as he prepared to enter her most sacred place.

"I want to be gentle with you, show me how you want me to do it," he whispered.

Not quite sure how to go about this, she just went with her instinct.

"Just do it, Link," she moaned to him. "Hurry."

Lowering his lips onto hers, and entering her slowly, he felt some resistance, and Zelda bit her lip and shuddered as he finally broke her free.

He pulled back, concern in his eyes.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her lovingly, caressing her lips with his thumb and cradling her face with his hand.

"No, not now." She looked up at him with a look in her eyes that told Link she was quite pleased that he had finally made her his.

She let out passionate sighs as she moved with him, and felt him go inside her more.

He could not believe she felt so wonderful closed around him like this, so tightly and completely.

He fought the urge to climax so suddenly, because he wanted her to experience it first.

He stopped and barely moved, as he kissed her and cradled her face.

"Link, I've never felt like this before," she moaned in a whisper.

"Me neither," he whispered back, but his voice left him as their bodies began to move together in a sensual rhythm.

The only thing surrounding them now was pure ecstasy.

She gripped him tighter and groaned in his shoulder, stifling her cries of pleasure from what he was doing to her.

"Oh, Zelda," he moaned into her pillow, thrusting faster, deeper into her, trying hard to be quiet. "I love you"…

She raised her legs instinctively and wrapped them around him, allowing him to penetrate her even deeper.

"Link, now"… she pleaded.

Link thrust into her as deep as his body would allow, and when he did, they both reached those passionate peaks together, and he filled her with the very essence of him, fully and completely, as she cried out his name, digging her fingernails into his back.

This was pure heaven.

Their bodies, once writhing in a sensual rhythm on her bed, were now becoming more relaxed, calm…

Link collapsed in Zelda's arms, his body sweating, his heart beating so wildly Zelda thought he was going to explode. She cradled him next to her.

Zelda had felt something happen inside her body, something she'd curiously read about in books in secret but never dreamed it would be like this. Something warm had rushed inside her as Link went over the edge, and was still there, even though she could feel him slowly withdrawing his body from hers. There was a part of him he had put inside her, she realized. She smiled happily as she cuddled next to his naked body.

"I never imagined it could be like this," she whispered, truly amazed.

"Me neither," he said, looking up at the ceiling, mesmerized.

"We're no longer…inexperienced," she said with a giggle.

His eyes glanced over to her, and he laughed too.

"No, I suppose not," he answered.

Then the thoughts of her impending wedding suddenly loomed over her like a black cloud.

"Oh, Link," she said, tears flooding her eyes. "This is the last time I will ever be able to kiss you and be in your arms."

He raised his head and moved so that he could pull her closer to him.

"Shh, darling," he said calmly as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. "Don't think about that now, let's just enjoy each other until dawn."

She reached for him, pulling his face down to hers, taking him by surprise.

"Please make love to me again, Link. I need to feel you inside me, as one. I don't ever want to forget that feeling as long as I live. I want you to shut out all of these unpleasant thoughts, please."

Her eyes welled with tears and he lowered his lips to her eyelids, wanting to kiss them all away. He could never refuse her anything.

"I shall do whatever you wish me to do," he whispered.

When their lips met, the desire returned to their bodies quickly and he rose above her and took her over those peaks again, giving her delicious feelings of ecstasy, of warmth and safety.

She wanted as much of him as he could give her before the Cuccos would be calling out the morning dawn and he would have to leave her bed, forever.

Impa saw the footprints on the ground beneath Zelda's window as she walked around the castle. A closer look told her they were Link's.

She looked up to Zelda's window and saw that it was dark in her bedroom.

She had a pretty good idea what was going on up there. Even though she knew she could get into a lot of trouble if the king were to find out that she helped to conceal his presence, she covered the tracks by scooping some of the mud and spreading it over the footprints.

Deep down, she wanted Link and Zelda to be together and knew that the young couple were in defiance of the traditions set by the royal family, and were going to seal their love no matter what odds were against them.

She'd been doing some research into Link's past, and had located some information that just might be able to help them be together. But she couldn't reveal any of this until she had one hundred percent proof, or else she would look like a fool.

Later, the Cuccos awoke and announced the morning light, and as they did, Zelda stirred against Link's chest.

She opened her eyes and realized it was morning.

Link opened his eyes and looked down at her, neither one of them saying anything to each other, he just leaned toward her and kissed her forehead.

They had coupled several times throughout the night, so many that Zelda couldn’t even remember. Was it five or six times? She didn't know. But she would have gladly asked for five or six more, or however many she could have. There was never enough of Link for her.

Now he would have to leave her forever.

Then someone knocked softly on the door.

Zelda rose up in horror.

"Who is that?" Link asked, his eyes growing wide.

"I don't know," she said, her tone escalating into a panic.

"Zelda," the voice whispered. "It's Impa. Don't worry, I know he's in there. Please let me in. I know how to help get him out of here undetected."

They both looked at each other in surprise.

Grabbing his tunic, Link quickly dressed and sat on the bed, running his hands through his hair, as if he could conceal the fact that he'd just bedded the princess.

Zelda slowly unlocked the door, and Impa entered.

She handed her some servants' clothes.

"Here," she said. "He can get out of here that way. If he exits out through the side of the castle, nobody will see him. I've checked. It's clear."

Zelda looked at her, puzzled.

"Impa, why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Hmmph," Impa said, smirking.

"I don't like Athos," she said.

Zelda smiled.

"Thank you, Impa."

She closed the door and Link quickly dressed in the servants' garb.

Hiding his clothing underneath the burlap, he prepared to climb down from her window before the bright sunlight would soon give him away.

Zelda began to cry as he reached for the shutters.

She ran to him and clutched him tightly.

"Today I shall be a married woman," she sobbed into his shoulder, "and it won't be to you."

Link fought back tears of his own as he held her against him, the pain swelling in his throat.

"Remember this night, and remember that I will always love you, Zelda. I will never be with another woman as long as I live. As far as I'm concerned, you are my wife and always will be."

She looked up at him, and he caught her tears with his finger.

"I love you," she said, crying against him.

He took her face in his hands and lowered his lips onto hers and gave her the deepest, slowest kiss that he could before he had to force himself to pull away from her.

When he did, there were tears in his eyes.

"I love you, Zelda. Forever."

Their hands held together for one last moment, then he grabbed the top of her window, balancing himself, and climbed down the vines, and when he reached the ground, he looked up at her and blew her a kiss.

Then he was gone.

Feeling overwhelmed with grief at his departure, she ran back to her bed, clutching her pillow, feeling the warmth from his body still between her sheets. She would lie there until it was gone. She could smell him on her pillow, and still feel him inside of her.

This was the most unbearable thing in the world.

She fell asleep, her cheeks stained with her tears.

Impa would have the dreaded task of waking Zelda later to get her ready for her wedding, but first she had to go to the forest to find Link.

She'd finally found the answer to her questions and would do all she could now to get Link and Zelda together.

Luckily, Link was in his tree house, alone, when she entered Kokiri forest.

Saria pointed the way for her to reach him.

When Link heard someone climbing up his ladder, he didn't care who it was. He was in a bad mood and didn't want to be consoled right now.

"Go away," he said. "I don't want to see anyone right now."

Impa pulled back the curtain leading into his home.

Link stood up, his eyes wide from seeing her here.

"Am I…in trouble with the king?" he asked.

A slow smile spread over Impa's face.

"On the contrary," she said. "I think once we get back to the castle and explain everything, it will be you enjoying wedded bliss with Zelda and not that awful Athos. I knew there was a reason why I didn't like him."

Link was confused.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Trust me," Impa said, holding out her arms. She held a royal blue tunic, a beautiful sword with a hilt of pure gold, and the most beautiful diamond ring Link had ever laid his hands on.

A few hours later, after she and Link had talked, Impa was back at the castle in Zelda's room, helping dress her in her gown and was humming incessantly.

Normally Zelda would have welcomed this, but today it was grating on her nerves.

"Must you do this?" she asked. "I'm miserable enough as it is."

Impa pulled out her shoes from her closet.

"Oh Zelda, I think today will be a fine day. A very fine day indeed."

Frowning and crossing her arms, Zelda looked at her.

"I'm afraid I can't share that same sentiment."

Then somebody knocked on her door. It was her father.

"Zelda, we must go. The guests and Athos are waiting."

She swallowed hard. This was it.

She looked over at her bed as she walked to the doorway, her hand on the doorframe, lingering there, thinking of this last night she'd had with her young lover. Well at least Athos wouldn't have that.

Holding her head high, she took her father's arm. Then she turned to look back at Impa.

Impa winked back at her.

"Trust me," she whispered.

Approaching the entrance to the Temple of Time where she would be forever bound to Prince Athos, Zelda searched the awaiting crowd for Link. Was he here? She wanted to see him but yet she didn’t, for she knew that the pain would be so hard for both of them to bear at seeing each other on this day.

She focused her eyes on the Triforce above the door of Time, where Rauru stood, thinking of that day Ganondorf had imprisoned her in crystal here, and that Link had pounded his fists on it in vain trying to save her.

Their eyes had locked, and it was then she knew that he was her one true love.

Her thoughts raced through their childhood, their adventures, his smile, and even the day he'd fallen into the fountain accidentally while trying to impress her.

Then she thought of last night, and the painful separation this morning.

Suddenly she was at the altar, facing Athos, standing where the Spiritual Stones once lay.

He took her hand and kissed it tenderly.

"Hello my lady," he said, bowing slightly to her. "You look beautiful, Zelda."

She curtsied rather fakely.

"Why thank you," she said, almost as fake as her curtsey.

Rauru motioned for the crowd to be seated.

"We are gathered here today"…

Link was urging Epona to go fast and furious across Hyrule Field to make it to the castle. He had to stop this wedding before it was too late.

The guards motioned their hands up to him as he approached.

"Sorry, Link. You aren't allowed past here until after the wedding!" one of them shouted.

Link kept right on going. The guards drew their swords and Link punched one of them in the face as he rode past.

Nothing would stop him from reaching his princess.

Epona's hooves clopped loudly through Hyrule Market and up the hill to the castle.

He was met by another guard at the entrance gate.

"Get out of my way, I'm not stopping!"

Seeing that Link had turned into a madman, this guard did the same and drew his sword.

Link kicked him in the shoulder as he rode past, and had to slow down and stop, for the gate was still closed.

The other guard from the drawbridge approached Link from behind, and tried to draw him into a swordfight.

"The king left strict orders that you were not to be anywhere near here," the guard said, raising his sword.

"Oh yeah? Well just try and stop me."

He parried the guards’ blows, and when he'd backed the guard into a corner, he swung down then faked another swing, tossing the guard's sword away from his hand and into Link's.

Link brought the blade of his sword against the guard's throat.

"Open the gate," he ordered.

The guard remained still.

"Now!" Link shouted.

The guard did as Link said, and unlatched the gate.

"Thank you," Link said, as if they were best friends.

Climbing onto Epona, he kicked her into a fast gallop and they made the final run to the castle.

"Do you, Prince Athos, take the lovely Princess Zelda to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to honor and cherish, to place above all others, as long as you both shall live?" Rauru asked.

Prince Athos looked at Zelda deeply in the eyes and said, "I do."

Link dismounted Epona and walked quickly to the Hall in long strides, the gold sword against his hip, the blue tunic beautifully showing off his blond hair, his silver gauntlets gleaming.

Throwing open the door to the Hall, he saw Athos placing a ring on Zelda's finger.

"Stop, you insolent bastard!" Link shouted, drawing his sword and pointing it at Athos.

The entire crowd gasped and the King shot up out of his chair, waving his hand at the guards.

"Get him out of here!"

Two guards approached Link and he attacked them one by one, knocking their swords from their hands.

They backed away from him, their hands up in the air.

Athos looked at Link in surprise.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little troublemaker! You should go back to the forest and play with your other peasant friends."

Zelda's eyes grew wide.

"Link!" she shouted, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

In all her excitement she hadn't fully comprehended what he was wearing.

The colors of Koholint.

"You're not going to marry my Princess, Athos. You're nothing but a liar that doesn’t deserve anything except maybe the gallows."

"What is the meaning of this?" Zelda's father roared.

He threw an angry finger at him.

"I'm warning you, Link, you'd better have a good explanation for this, or it is you that shall be sent to the gallows!"

"Forgive me, your Highness. I believe that Impa can better explain." Link said.

Impa stood up from the crowd and walked toward the King, and handed him a document.

"Your Highness, you'd better read this," she said. Harkinian took the document from her, his eyes blazing, then sat down.

He read it to himself, then rolled his eyes.

"I don’t believe this," he said.

"Father, please tell me!" Zelda shouted.

"This document says that Link is the rightful heir to the throne of Koholint."

"Only Koholint no longer exists!" roared Athos. "There is no throne for you to inherit! My father left it all to me, and sent me away from that place to be raised in Nebulus until I came of age to marry Zelda. You have no claim to her! She is mine!"

The King cleared his throat.

"It appears that Link is…your older brother?" he said in surprise.

Athos rolled his eyes, held his head up in the air, and turned his back to the crowd, his hands on his hips, laughing nervously.

Zelda looked Link deeply in the eyes, the realization setting in.

"So you are royalty," she whispered, her face beaming, for she knew what this meant.

Out of the corner of his eye Link saw Athos draw his sword. Growling, he moved in for the kill.

Link stood perfectly still until the last moment, then shoved Zelda out of the way. Link's blade stopped Athos' just as he was about to strike him down.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Link said.

The king stood back up.

"I do not want any blood shed here today! Stop this at once!"

But neither Link nor Athos were listening. Fire blazed in the two young men's eyes, and there was no stopping them.

"You will not have Zelda, or any part of this kingdom," Link said.

"We'll see about that," Athos replied, teasing Link with his blade. He lunged forward. Link parried his attack, keeping focused.

Zelda covered her mouth with her hands, wanting to scream, but knew it would do no good. Link had come here today to fight for her, and to take her away from this imposter that had almost become her husband.

The two parried each other close to the concrete steps outside, and the crowd followed. Hyrulian citizens always liked a good swordfight, and this one was about to top them all.

Athos wiped his chin, breathing heavy, and looked at Link with evil in his eyes.

"Zelda is mine, I don't care what that document says. Tonight she will be in my arms, begging for my mercy."

Link lunged at him angrily, the blade whistling in the air. Athos ducked away.

"Ha ha ha," he laughed. "Come on, Hero of Time, where's your finesse? Or did you lose that?"

"Never," Link said. "Never. You are nothing but a miserable doormat, not fit enough for the King himself to wipe his boots on."

"Ha ha ha," Athos retorted. "Is that the best you can do, my brother?"

"I never want to hear you say that," Link said, as he rushed in, parrying Athos' forceful attacks.

"You are not a true brother."

He ducked down to avoid the heavy swing from Athos' broadsword.

The King walked outside, watching the two intently, knowing there was nothing he could do. These two men were not only fighting for his daughter, they were fighting for something much deeper than love. Blood.

The two men circled one another, each one trying to read the other's next move. Link caught Zelda's face out of the corner of his eye, and he made the mistake of glancing at her, even if it was only for a second.

He heard the whistle of the blade, then felt the gash on his arm.

He cried out in pain and Zelda tried to rush to his side. He waved her away.

"Oh, how noble," Athos mocked, pointing his blade at her. "Zelda, you back off. When I finish him, you and I will be leaving on our honeymoon."

He raised his eyebrows and licked his lips.

"I can't wait to get her in my bed," he hissed in an evil whisper to Link. "I bet she will fit me quite nicely."

Link's anger boiled inside of him and it was spilling over the edge.

"You will die for saying that," Link said, moving towards Athos, his eyes growing redder with fire.

Even though his arm was bleeding, all pain he felt was now gone, replaced by hot rage. He swung at Athos. Athos swung back. Link managed to stiffen his body and move it away from the blade, then swung low, hitting Athos in the knee.

He lowered in pain, then rose again to strike Link. When he did, Link calculatingly thrust his blade into Athos's heart and did not stop until the hilt touched his ribcage. Athos cried out, and as his eyes were beginning to feel the glaze of death upon them, he looked at Link one last time, blood coming up through his mouth, coughing, trying to breathe.

But it was too late. Link pulled the sword out of Athos' dying body, and it slumped to the ground. Dropping the sword to the ground as Zelda ran to him, he took her in his arms and closed his eyes.

"Oh, my darling," he whispered as he cradled her head. "It's over now."

The King pushed his way through the crowd and stood before them. When Link opened his eyes he pulled away from Zelda suddenly. She turned to look at her father.

"It seems I owe you an apology, Link," the King said. He motioned for his guards to remove Athos' body.

"Being a rightful heir to a kingdom, even though it is extinct, and seeing your true honor here today to save us all from what would have been certain disaster, is good enough in my book for you to be wedded to my daughter. Please accept my apologies, and if you wish to do so, you may marry my daughter right now."

Link shook his head. Zelda looked at him strangely. "What?" she asked. "Not without a proper proposal," he said, pulling something out of his tunic.

He bent down on one knee and opened the tiny box.

Zelda recognized it immediately. It was a diamond from the island of Koholint, extremely rare.

"Oh my," she said, raising her hand to her mouth.

"Will you marry me, Zelda?" Link asked, taking her left hand in his and placing the ring on her finger. "You would make me the happiest man in the world if you would say yes and marry me here today, right now."

She started to cry. "Oh yes, Link, you know I will."

He stood up and took her in his arms and was about to kiss her when Rauru's hand raised between them.

"You can do that in a few minutes," he said. The crowd laughed and cheered as Link and Zelda made their way back into the Temple of Time, where they were married properly that day.

As they left the Temple as a married couple, Link whistled for Epona. When he helped his new bride onto his horse, he got on behind her and pulled her close, his breath feathering her neck.

"You look so beautiful, my darling," he said as his lips nuzzled her ear.

He led Epona to the drawbridge and stopped there, facing Hyrule Field.

"Where do you wish to go, my lady?" he asked her. "We haven't a proper honeymoon planned."

She reached up and ran her fingers through Link's hair.

"We don’t need a honeymoon," she said. "All we need is a comfortable bed, my love."

"You are reading my mind, Zelda," Link whispered in her ear.

"I know the perfect place, if you don't mind it being a bit humble," he said.

"I don’t care, any bed is a wonderful bed, as long as it’s shared with you," she murmured.

"Very well then," he said as he kicked Epona into a quick gallop toward his tree house in the forest.

They lived happily ever after.

THE END

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