Chapter Text
Shit shit shit shit that was a massively stupid idea what was he thinking oh goddesses he’s so dead.
Link yanked at his earrings as he nervously paced outside the entrance to the ballroom, his face burning red hot.
It’s alright, it’s not like he fully made out with her. It was just a small cheek kiss, it could even be seen as chivalrous.
He tried to reason with himself, but that fucker was a world-class debater.
Yeah but she’s not just some random palace girl, she’s the Princess. If the king ever found out some random bastard son even so much as laid a finger on her he would have his head.
He tugged harder on his earring, pacing faster.
Okay, but she doesn’t even know his name. And he wore a mask, so she doesn’t even know what the entirety of his face looked like. Besides, it’s not like he was ever gonna see her again. She was gonna be married off to some nobleman’s son, and he would continue his military career. Who knows, maybe he’d die in battle and not have to worry about any of this again.
His rapid pacing slowed down to a stop, and he finally managed to take a deep breath. The thought of never seeing the Princess again calmed his nerves, but it was also twinged with sadness. Everything had been so easy with her. He could listen to her talk about theories and plant properties all day. Her smile was as bright as the sun, and causing her to smile was what he considered to be his greatest achievement. As nervous as he was about the whole ordeal, he couldn’t really say he regretted it.
Taking a steadying breath, he squared his shoulders and made his way over to the other guards, who were ushering guests outside as the ball wound down to a close.
Well, at least he had his fun, and things would go back to normal tomorrow.
—————
Zelda wondered why her father had called her into the throne room this afternoon. She had done her studies diligently today, so he couldn’t be scolding her. Unless he realized that she had abandoned the ball for two hours last night, but she figured he would’ve scolded her about that last night if he was upset about it. He wasn’t one to take his time in reprimanding her.
What she was not expecting when she walked into the throne room was to see the tall Gerudo man she had danced with last night. Well that made her life easier. She wouldn’t have to ask her father about the guest list and give him the satisfaction that she might be interested in someone.
This time he had ditched the tight Hylian clothes in favor of loose flowing traditional Gerudo clothes. For modesty’s sake he kept the red robe from last night, covering the majority of his bare chest. Now maskless, she could really appreciate his sharp cheekbones and beautiful brown eyes lined with a dark kohl. He struck a wonderful balance of curves and hard edges, masculine and feminine. He beamed at her with what she now assumed to be his signature smile.
“Princess Zelda! So glad to see you again so soon! I took your advice and wore comfier clothes this time,” he excitedly told her, doing a little spin to show off his elegant attire.
He was such a dork, she could almost forgive him for ditching her last night. Almost.
“You never told me your name,” she accused him.
“His name is Prince Ganondorf,” the King interjected in his booming voice. “And he is your betrothed.”
“Excuse me?!?” Zelda exclaimed, shocked by the sudden news. “What do you mean he’s my betrothed? I had only one dance with him last night!”
“Gerudo and Hyrule have had tense relations in the past. I figured a marriage between the royal families would help with our relations in the future.”
“What was the point of the ball last night then, if you already had a suitor in mind? I thought I had a choice in this matter!” Her voice rose dangerously, threatening to crack.
“I wanted to give you two a chance to meet in a more relaxed environment, so that you would be more open to the idea of the betrothal. I don’t want you to feel like this is something you’re being forced into.”
“Well I do feel like I’m being forced into this! How could you do this to me, Father?!?” Zelda screamed. She could not hold back the feeling of betrayal in her voice.
“Zelda, that’s enough!!!” The King roared. Prince Ganondorf stood awkwardly between the two, hands clasped behind his back, not quite sure what to do. He stared directly ahead to avoid eye contact with either of them, staying out of the line of fire.
The King sighed, and spoke again, much softer this time. “Zelda, this is not a death sentence. Prince Ganondorf is a kind gentleman who has been civil about this the whole time, I expect you to return the favor. Besides, it will be a year before you get married. During that time he will be officially courting you, and you will have time to get to know him better. And if for whatever reason it seems like he isn’t a good fit for you, I will consider a different suitor for you.”
Zelda felt a little bit more reassured after that. She could still get out of this it seemed.
“But please, Zelda,” the King implored. “Please consider your duty to the kingdom, and don’t be stubborn for the sake of being stubborn.” The King’s eyes softened as he continued. “Your mother would be so proud of the beautiful and capable young woman you’ve become.”
Ah, there it was. The guilt trip. Nothing quite like bringing up her dead mother to get her to do what he wants. She sighed resignedly.
“Okay. I’ll do it. For my kingdom, and for Mother.” But not for you, the phrase hung silently in the air between them, understood without having to be spoken.
“And one more thing,” he added. What else could he possibly want from her now? Didn’t she already promise her life away?
“Since you’ll be traveling between the two kingdoms often, I’ve assigned you a personal knight. Sir Link, you may enter.”
Zelda turned to see a royal knight stride into the throne room, kneeling deferentially as soon as he was five feet away from her. His face was obscured by his shaggy dark blonde hair that was loosely tied into a low ponytail.
“He will escort you on all missions outside the castle, and will also act as a chaperone during your courting with the Prince.” He turned to Prince Ganondorf apologetically. “I hope you don’t take offense at this your Highness. I’m sure you would never let harm befall the Princess, but considering that the both of you are so high-profile, there is a chance at assassination or kidnapping attempts. There are many who would not wish to see Gerudo and Hyrule in good terms.”
“It is not a problem your Grace, I fully understand,” Prince Ganondorf reassured.
“Father, how do you expect me to grow close with the Prince if there’s another set of eyes constantly watching us?” Zelda interjected.
“Never worry my dear child, you’ll soon find out that he’s very adept at escaping notice.” He chuckled at that. “Anyways, that is all I wanted to tell you, Zelda. You may do whatever you like while the Prince and I negotiate treaty terms. If you want, you can get acquainted with your new knight. I’ll see you later tonight for dinner.”
Finally, Zelda thought. Now she could go back to her reading undisturbed. She started to stalk out of the room when she noticed that the knight was still kneeling.
“You may rise,” she ordered dryly. The knight stiffly stood up, and she got a better look at his face. He was surprisingly young, a startling contrast from the usual grizzled military men that managed to become knights. Despite his age, he already had a large scar running from just below his right eye up to his hairline. He had incredibly blue eyes, which were set in an unreadable expression. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had met him before.
“You look familiar, have we met?” she asked.
His expression changed for a split second - was it a look of panic? - before settling back into its impassive state. He spoke in a low voice.
“You’re probably thinking of my father, Captain Garrett.”
The Captain Garrett? She didn’t know he had a son. Though now that she thought about it, he did bear a striking resemblance. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
Oh, no wonder he’s her personal knight. Good ol’ daddy must’ve put in a good word for him.
“Ugh, whatever. Just, stay out of my way, okay?”
And with that she stormed off.