“Did you find her yet?”
“No,” Link said simply.
“Did you find her yet?”
“No…”
“Did you find her yet?”
Link made a sigh of both amusement and irritation as both Vlad and Vladimir kept asking the same question. They ran around the castle halls, opening and slamming all the doors as hard as they could. The questions were annoying, but it was quite amusing how many people screamed because the two little boys burst into every room like a bat out of hell.
“No,” he answered for the fourteenth time, or was it the fifteenth? Great, he thought. He lost count again…
Who they were looking for was actually Zelda. She had disappeared after the welcoming dinner for King Van, Queen Fallon, and their children, and seemingly said to have a lot on her mind when she left. She told him not to follow her, and he obeyed like any other servant.
But it had been an hour and he couldn’t find Zelda. And this was extremely bad. He didn’t want the king to think he tied her up and locked her in the dungeons until he could sell her for ransom.
“Did you find her yet?” Vladimir almost screamed across the hall to Link.
“No,” he half shouted back, hoping no one would hear him.
Vlad then ran up to Link, almost crashing into him from trying to halt his sprints.
“I checked her room. She’s not there…”
“Did you check the gardens?” Link asked. Vlad shook his head.
Link wondered if she would actually be at the gardens. She said that she wasn’t going to go around that place anymore for some odd reason. Link sighed. It was either going to the gardens or barging out of the castle to look for her.
He ran to the gardens, slowing down the pace to look casual in front of the guards and not suspicious.
And to his luck, Zelda had not left the castle. She was luckily sitting by the gardens, tracing the smooth lines of a painting as a small tear rolled down her cheek.
“Zelda,” Link said, making his presence known. She didn’t turn to look at him, but only close her eyes to hide the tears.
“I told you not to follow me,” Zelda said. Link frowned.
“Yes, well, when you’re gone for an hour, I’m afraid some people might get suspicious. I would…”
Zelda opened her eyes again and stood up, lowering her head. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to worry anyone. I just needed some privacy.”
Link suddenly noticed the drawing that she was looking at.
And my, it was a beautiful one.
It was a picture of Zelda, dressed in a simple white gown. She stood by a small tree that Link recognized as the tree out in the front yards of the castle. The full moon sparkled as if alive in the artwork, as did Zelda’s eyes and hair did in real life, which was shown clearly in the portrait as well.
“Who painted this?” Link asked, astonished by such a great piece of artwork.
Zelda sniffed. “His name… His name is Winchel… He died the night you rescued me from those men. Murdered… He painted that very same picture that night. Only minutes before he died…”
Link was silenced at this. No words came out as a look of pity for Zelda was plastered on his face.
“Winchel,” she said, giving a weak smile. “He was a poet, artist, and musician all in one. He did all these amazing things, but most of all; he was the nicest person I ever met. Sort of like you, Link…”
“What?” Link said, as if awakening from a trance. “Umm… I hate to admit, but I’m not exactly good with poetry and artistry.”
Zelda rolled her eyes. “I meant the kindness part.”
“Oh,” Link said, still almost seeming far away. Zelda walked away, and as he was supposed to, he followed her.
Vlad then came running in, almost knocking the both of them off their feet from the speedy boy.
“Zelda! We found you finally!” he half shouted. A guard walked up behind him as well.
“Your Highness, Queen Kyna has arrived.”
Zelda nodded brightly. “Ah good! Princess Caley is here!”
Link didn’t need to ask after the guard ran off again.
“Princess Caley is from the country of Kuniko, and is a very good friend of mine,” Zelda informed him. “She, unfortunately, has a brother Prince Manton, who has no respect for people that are supposedly under royalty. So try and stay as far away from him as you possibly can.”
Link nodded. He then followed the Princess to the throne room, where Zelda’s father sat on an ornamental chair.
Both Link and Zelda entered from the side of the throne room, and quickly rushed over to her father’s side. She put on a fake smile and waved.
Link looked over to her with a frown. The smile she had on was definitely fake, and he didn’t mention it to her, but he noticed that she was usually depressed or faking a terrible smile.
He then looked over to the family, which walked on the red plush carpet, as almost guided to it, which went all the way to the King’s chair. He greeted them with great joy.
“Queen Kyna, such an honor it is to see you once more,” He said politely with happiness.
Queen Kyna made a warm smile which was just as sweet as King Van and Queen Fallon’s. She was dressed in gold robes, as for her hair; it was blonde streaked light brown hair in a bun. Her hazel eyes looked up upon the King of Hyrule.
“For you the same your Majesty,” she said with a graceful curtsy.
Link noticed that the boy behind her looked just the same. They were the same hazel eyes and blonde streaked hair. He was dressed in flashy gold armor. He looked the same exact age as Zelda and Link. This was probably the man Zelda referred to as Prince Manton.
And then there was another girl who was also the same age as the boy. And she also wore golden robes like her mother, yet she seemed so out of place in the family. She instead, had bright fiery red hair and golden eyes that matched her robes.
And instead of most royals, whom wore a tight bun, especially when in public of other nobles, she wore her long red hair down, just like Zelda did. Her arms were crossed, unlike her family, showing a large stubborn side to her, and she edged away from her guards who were dressed in simple metal armor. Link could see why Zelda was friends with Princess Caley. She seemed free spirited, and didn’t seem to care what others thought about her.
And while the King got up from his chair and shook hands with Queen Kyna, Princess Caley almost burst into a run and embraced Zelda with a friendly hug.
“Hey Zelda!” Caley shouted almost like a child getting a cookie. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much Caley,” Zelda replied back in a ‘hip’ tone of voice. Link gave both girls an odd look at their strange language.
“And who is this?” said another voice. Link turned around to see Prince Manton looking at him suspiciously. He then turned to Zelda.
“Did you find a new boyfriend already?” Manton said with a kindness and curiosity directed fully to Zelda. Link sensed already to step away from him, for he didn’t seem to send any friendliness towards Link at all.
“No,” Zelda said with a frown. “He’s my personal servant,” she answered honestly, and wished she had lied that Link was a noble.
“Ah,” Manton smiled brightly, and even though Link tried to edge far away from the prince, he still amazingly managed to shove past him and put an arm around Zelda in a flirty way.
“So did you choose anyone to dance with at the ball yet?” Manton asked sickeningly and sweetly. Both Link and Zelda refused the urge to vomit in hatred.
“Yes,” Zelda said. “My apologies Manton, but I’m already taken.”
“By whom?” Manton asked raising an eyebrow. Zelda made a deeper frown. Link made a silent sigh, knowing he would possibly regret this.
“Me,” Link piped up. The prince turned around at him with shock. He gave a stunned look, and then broke into a laugh.
“Very funny, servant,” Manton said chuckling. “Zelda I’m so glad you had the servants trained to have a sense of humor.”
Zelda turned pink. “Actually I did ask him to the ball with me.”
Manton looked shocked again, and he turned to Link once more. He didn’t say anything, but give a glare of both jealousy and hatred.
But Link ignored this, since he was used to in his childhood.
For as a child, he used to visit his friend Saria in the forest, and pass by a boy named Mido, who obviously had a crush on his dear friend. He often mistook their friendship for love and tried to attack him in any way he could when she wasn’t around.
Once he broke out of his thoughts Manton had broke the glare and walked towards his mother Queen Kyna. Link could swear if it were possible, steam would be coming out of his ears.
And Caley noticed this as well. She walked up to him and cupped her hands around his pointy ears and whispered to him.
“I would stay away from Manton,” Caley warned.
Link sighed. He could sense this would turn out just like what happened in the forest whenever he was near Mido. He could sense that Manton was going to try and anger and torture him as much as he possibly could.
