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As the day wore on, there was still no sign of Link and Zelda in Hyrule Castle. Later that night as the sun set towards the evening, the King began to worry. Several guards told him that they had seen Zelda in the courtyard late at night, but nobody had seen her or Link leave the castle. When the sun slipped beneath the horizon, the King ordered his men to search the countryside for them. Despite their thorough search of Castle Town and the nearby cities, none of the King's men could find them. He began to panic, thinking that they might have been abducted, or worse. Zelda's room still held most of her possessions and clothing, which only seemed to reinforce his suspicion they had been forcibly taken away.

By next morning, everyone in Hyrule Castle knew that the princess was missing. The King considered organizing a massive search by the Hylian army, but he already had a creeping suspicion in his mind that they would never find his daughter. Hyrule was simply too vast a kingdom to search completely, and there were so many places one could hide. Soon, word got out to the townspeople, and the Royal Family issued a reward for anyone who knew Princess Zelda's whereabouts.

As the King sat in quiet desperation, Impa wandered into his chamber, not looking particularly concerned. "Any news?" he asked.

"I think you are overreacting, sir," she replied.

"Overreacting? My daughter has been kidnapped, and you tell me I'm overreacting?" he snapped.

Impa's expression did not change. "She has not been abducted, sir."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"While I was asking the people in the town if they had seen the princess, I was approached by a priest who told me that two nights ago, Link and Zelda asked him to have them secretly married."

The King was relieved and in disbelief at the same time. Married, in secret? He knew that Link and Zelda were going to marry at some point in the future, but he had been sure she would have told him if they planned to marry. Now they had married at an unusually young age, and worse, they were not even going to tell him about it! He felt his face flush with anger.

"Did he say where they were?"

"No, your Majesty, but." She trailed off.

"But what?" he thundered.

"Sir, I have known Zelda all her life and I know how unhappy she was living here. I have a feeling that neither Link nor Zelda will be returning to Hyrule Castle. I think she wants to start a new life with Link, so she didn't take anything that reminded her of her old one."

The King slouched back in his chair, breathing a sigh of hopelessness. He couldn't blame Zelda for what she had done, no matter how he tried. She loved Link so much, and was it was obvious she hated living in the castle. Soon she would have been eighteen, the age where a Hylian woman was traditionally expected to choose a man who would eventually become her husband. But marriage in the teenage years almost never happened anymore, and the King wondered if she was prepared to live on her own. Link was by all accounts a wonderful man. But could he provide for her? He said he had no money and no place to live, but surely, he must have if he planned to live with his daughter. The King still couldn't believe his daughter had run off to get married with telling the people who cared about her! Impa and he both looked forward to seeing Zelda's wedding, but now they never would. He supposed he should feel happy about her marriage, but he couldn't help but be disappointed.

The King maintained a glimmer of hope that his daughter might return, but as the day wore on, that hope slowly faded. Not he, nor Impa, or anyone else in Hyrule Castle had any idea where they might have gone. He slipped into a deep depression, for now he was truly alone, with no family left. The King knew the blame lay solely on him, maybe if he had treated her better, and been a better father to her, Zelda might not have run away. He had been trying to make amends for his conduct with her, but now it was too late. She had started a new life with Link, a life that clearly did not include him.

For the next few hours, he locked himself in his room and refused to come out. The King turned to the one thing that had always brought relief and pain to his life: drink. He drank several bottles of wine and brandy to block Zelda's hurtful decision from his mind. Couldn't she have found it in her heart to tell him she was marrying Link? Couldn't she have at least said goodbye? Even a goodbye letter would have sufficed, he thought. In away, Zelda had symbolically killed him by leaving him. The air was cold, but the drink had taken away all his senses, yet the pain remained. Though Zelda would never know, her pretty face used to bring him such pride and happiness when he saw her. But she would have been so much prettier if she had smiled once in a while. He could never understand her; she was so willful and resentful towards his attempts to mold her into a "proper" lady, who is what a princess was expected to be. They said that daughters were the goddess's punishment for being a man, and he believed that.

 With another drink of wine, he lay himself down on his bed, trying to forget why he was so unhappy. Closing his eyes, he let the alcohol and his own tiredness carry him off into a dreamless sleep.

Link awoke late in the afternoon, believing for a moment that he was still in Hyrule Castle, but thankfully, he was not. Zelda lay next to him, the two of them still nude from their passionate episode the night before. It had been such an incredible experience; it almost seemed like a dream. Link remembered their "escape" from Hyrule Castle, their secret marriage, him bringing her to this place, and he thought there was no way he could have been this fortunate. Perhaps they had frozen to their deaths on the way here, and had subsequently gone to heaven? But that was silly thought, and he looked over at his sleeping wife. Her father would no doubt be looking for her now; what would he think when he discovered they were gone? Link suddenly felt a pang of worry when realized that maybe they would think Zelda had been abducted somehow. Worse, what if they came looking for them, and they succeeded? What would he do then?

Link shrugged off his worries for his moment, and slowly ran his hands along Zelda's body. He couldn't help but touch her; her skin was so smooth and inviting. With a yawn, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him. He smiled back, and if hadn't been for morning breath, he would have kissed her.

"You tire me out," he joked. The thoughts and sensations of the previous night flooded back to him.

She laid her chest atop his and lovingly stroked his face. "Is that all you can say after such a wonderful night?"

They slowly climbed out of bed and got dressed, although Zelda seemed reluctant about wearing her royal dress again. Today they were going to go to Kakariko village to look for new clothing. It was not something Link particularly looked forward to, but was a thing required of a married man. Hyrule Castle Town had more places to shop, but neither of them wanted to risk being seen in their old clothes. It was still extremely cold outside, but Link knew Kakariko Village was not too far from their place, judging by the sight of Death Mountain to the southwest of their home. He wondered if anyone might recognize them in the village, but the princess had never visited it, and Link had not been there in several years.

Neither of them was particularly hungry, so they skipped breakfast, something that always earned Zelda a stern reprimand from her father. But her father wasn't here now, was he? Zelda slipped on the heavy wool coat she had brought from Hyrule Castle, and locked the door behind her as they headed off towards Kakariko Village.

Outside, the air was cold, but bearable. The snow was several feet deep, and Link worried about becoming stuck in it. Thankfully, the trees had sheltered the forest floor somewhat, making their journey easier. The weather was agreeable enough that they decided to walk, since their destination was not far, and riding a horse through the dense forest was difficult. They walked arm in arm through the silent forest, the only noise being the crunching of snow beneath their feet. The way the sunlight hit the snow banks, it was almost beautiful in a way. Link had always hated the winter, but now that he had somewhere warm to stay, he decided it wasn't so bad.

"How much money did you bring?" Zelda asked.

"A thousand rupees," he replied nonchalantly.

Zelda stopped and looked at him. "Link, this dress didn't cost one thousand rupees!"

"We'll need money to impress the townsfolk. If you leave a little extra when you pay for something, word will get around."

They continued walking. "So what are you going to buy?" Zelda asked, curious if he was ever going to stop wearing that tunic.

"I think I'll get something with a little more class than this," said Link, pointing to his attire. "Perhaps I will have my hair cut as well-."

Zelda cut him off immediately. "Oh no, Link, I won't let you do that!"

Link smiled. "And end up like you?"

"Are you saying there is something wrong with my hair?" she asked sharply, feigning disdain.

Link put his hands up in surrender. "Oh no Zelda, of course not! It's just that men don't usually have hair down to their waists."

Kakariko Village had changed considerably since Link had last visited, so much so that he almost didn't recognize it. What had once been a sleepy, chicken-infested village was now a bustling town, and would soon rival Castle Town in size. High above the town was the massive peak of Death Mountain, and active volcano. Link questioned the wisdom on building the village at the mountain's base, since a volcanic eruption would cause the town to be engulfed in lava. Nevertheless, the volcano had not erupted in centuries, seemingly content to simply roil and simmer all day. In the crater of the mountain lay the Fire Temple, built by the hardy Gorons long ago. Link had been there only once, and he had no intention of returning.

In the fresh snow, the children of Kakariko played and frolicked, busily building snow forts and having snowball fights. Link recalled with unhappiness of wintertime in the Kokiri Village, where he was the usual target of all snowball crusades. Among the children, their parents and family played with them, and then Link suddenly felt very jealous. Why couldn't he have had a normal childhood? Why couldn't he have lived with people who accepted him for who he was, and offered him support and encouragement? But there was no point in complaining and pitying oneself, as nothing could ever wipe away those painful seventeen years. Besides, if he had a "normal" childhood, he would have never met Princess Zelda.

They found a clothing store, located near the entrance to the Death Mountain Trail. It wasn't large store, being operated out of a family's home, but the clothing was very well made, if expensive. Link pushed open the creaky wooden door, which had bells attached to alert the shop owner to new customers. The tailor was a short, stocky man, perhaps a few pounds overweight, and looked to be in his middle age. His eyes widened when he saw Zelda; it was hard not to notice a beautiful woman. Link knew the man probably thought him a tramp with his clothing and unkempt hair, but that would change once money was on the table.

For the next few minutes, Link and Zelda looked through the wares, thinking of what to buy. There was clothing here to satisfy all tastes, both subtle and gross. Link took particular interest in a red, warm-looking jacket, but continued to look around. Even a Goron Tunic was available; it was similar to his own, only made from a special heat-resistant fabric. Interesting, but it was hardly what he was looking for. There was a heavy, goose-down jacket that looked perfect for a cold winter's day, and Link made a mental note to purchase it. They were rich; after all, they could afford to splurge a little.

Over in the women's section, Zelda continued to look around. She seemed to taking her sweet time, but Link didn't mind. He only worried about the shopkeeper, who seemed to be eying her just a little too closely, but one could hardly blame him for that. She was examining a velvety red dress, which Link had to admit looked very pretty, but she needed more than one dress. Thankfully, she had also chosen several simpler garments more suited for day-to-day wear, although they retained a certain element of elegance. After picking several articles she liked, Zelda went off to the small room near the back where patrons could try on clothing they were interested in.

"Is she your ladyfriend?" the shopkeeper asked the moment Zelda was out of sight.

Link turned around, slightly nervous about answering. "Actually, she's my wife. We were married last night."

Instead of frowning at their young age of marriage, the shop owner broke into a smile. "Well aren't you a lucky young man? She really is lovely, and such a beautiful figure, too! Firm, supple breasts, and gorgeous thighs."

Link scowled at the man, which was enough to bring his sentence to a halt. "Oh, I'm sorry, I do get carried away sometimes. I must admit, I have not seen a woman so beautiful since before Talon's daughter perished."

Suddenly, Link was interested in the conversation. "You knew Malon?"

"Oh yes, she used to come here often to purchase clothes. Such a sad story; everybody loved the girl. The only one who survived was Mr. Ingo, he lives not too far from here. Townsfolk don't trust him; some say he started the fire. Don't know if I believe em' or  not."

Link had never thought of Ingo, despite seeing him often working on the ranch. He still remembered him as the coward who knuckled under when Ganondorf took over Hyrule, and hadn't given him much thought. Link didn't like digging up painful memories of Malon, so he dropped the subject.

A few minutes later, Zelda emerged from the fitting room, sooner than he had expected. She had already made up her mind; Link was disappointed she hadn't come out to show him what the clothes looked like on her. Link quickly selected the clothing items he wished to buy, and combined with Zelda's purchases, the total came close to eight hundred rupees. The shopkeeper had never had a customer make such a large purchase before, and was even more astounded when Link quietly slipped eighth hundred rupees, plus another hundred for "goodwill" across the counter.

"May you live to be a thousand years old," he spoke in awe.

Link and Zelda exited the store, carrying their purchases in large leather bags. They both suddenly felt rather hungry, so Link located an establishment named "The Death Mountain Café," located near the entrance to the Death Mountain Trail. Link found himself scanning everyone around him, worried that someone might recognize him. But even if someone did recognize them, what could they do? It wasn't as if they were wanted outlaws or anything.

The Death Mountain was another of the family run businesses that had sprung up in Kakariko Village. It was filled with people of all races; Hylians, Gerudo's, and even several Zora's who had somehow managed to make it to the village without freezing to death. "Quaint" best described the café, as it did most things in Kakariko Village. Everything here was small; small homes, small stores, and small restaurants. The town had been established by the Sheikah, who were not known for their extravagance. It was more of a fort than a town, being surrounded on sides by rock and thick forest. But deep inside the village was a massive mausoleum, the Shadow Temple. It held the memories and bodies of bloodier times, times before the unification of Hyrule. When the Sheikah were more numerous, they had buried their dead in that Temple, and kept its location a secret. Now, however, the Shadow Temple had been sealed off from the world, and nobody spoke of it anymore.

Soon after taking a seat, Link left the table to use the facilities, leaving Zelda all alone. She looked out the window at the children playing in the snow, and she too wished she had a normal childhood. Impa had always said she was something of a tomboy, a point she found hard to argue. Zelda always held a fascination for modern and ancient weaponry, often eavesdropping on the training of the guards and soldiers. Impa, of course, didn't mind, but it aggravated her father to no end. A proper lady was not supposed to defend herself, and in the King's eyes, a woman with a weapon was somehow "dirty" and "unclean." It was a frustrating double standard, because the King had great respect for Impa, a woman, who always carried a weapon.

Suddenly, Zelda felt a tap on her shoulder, and without looking, she could tell it was not Link. Slowly, she turned her head, and to her horror, Impa stood behind her. The patrons' gazes were all fixed on the Shadow Warrior, but that was the least of her worries. People in Kakariko Village knew that Impa was the Princess of Hyrule's protector, and if they saw Zelda with her, it wouldn't be too hard to figure out that she was the Princess of Hyrule. Her fear faded to anger, anger at her protector for destroying her anonymity, and anger at being discovered.

"I should have known I would find you here," Impa muttered, rudely sitting in Link's place.

"What are you doing here?" Zelda hissed, hoping she would leave before the people in the café got too suspicious.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked quietly, looking back to make sure Link wasn't returning.

Zelda could not believe Impa's audacity. "What business is it of yours?" she snapped.

"Do you even know how much you hurt your father? He has waited his entire life to see your wedding, and you didn't even tell him! I know you haven't had the greatest of relationships with him, but you could have told him for his sake!"

Now her anger turned to blind rage. Here she was, being embarrassed in front of a crowd of strangers. "I will not reward his poor fatherhood with the satisfaction of seeing me marry!"

Impa reached out her hand to try to comfort the princess, but she scowled and pulled away. "Please, at least come back to Hyrule Castle to apologize! Your father is so upset."

Zelda wondered what was taking Link so long. "Look Impa, I have a new life now, and I will never go back to Hyrule Castle. You want an apology? I apologize for not being truthful. I apologize for not telling my father that he is an uncaring, heartless man, and that he can go to hell before I will ever apologize to him!" Her fiery words silenced the restaurant, turning all eyes on her. She hadn't meant to explode like that, but she had rarely felt as angry as she did now.

Impa sighed and stood up from the table. "You're still as stubborn as a Hylian Wildebeest! If you insist on abandoning your royal duties, then you will never again be welcome in Hyrule Castle!"

With that, Impa stormed out the café, just as Link returned to the table. Zelda had never seen Impa so angry before, and her parting words stuck in her mind. Would this mean she was going to be barred from entering the castle? Though she vowed never to return to Hyrule Castle, Zelda did not want to be seen as an outcast.

Link looked around, wondering what had just transpired. He had caught a glimpse of Impa leaving, and there was a look of surprise and concern upon his face.

Zelda quickly picked up her purchases off the floor. "We have to leave."

After deducing what had happened, Link didn't attempt to argue with her. They briskly walked out of the village and into the forest, looking back to make sure no one was following them. Once they were clear of the village, Zelda stopped to catch her breath, her mind going over her brief conversation with Impa.

"I can't believe the nerve of that woman!" she grumbled, her anger still burning.

"What did she want?" Link asked.

Zelda dropped their bags the snowy ground. "She wanted me to return to Hyrule Castle to apologize to my father. When I refused, she.she said I would not be welcome in Hyrule Castle anymore."

Link could clearly she was upset, so he gave her a soothing hug. "It's all right, Zelda. I don't think they'll bar you at the gates."

Zelda was content to simply remain in his arms for a while. "I guess we are on our own now."

"Has it ever been any other way?"

She had to acknowledge the fact that Link was right. For most of their lives, they had been alone, without friends or a supportive family. Link had fared worse, having to live a wandering, meaningless life, never knowing inner peace or belonging. Their experiences had bonded them in such a way that, even though they had physically been apart for so long, they had never been emotionally apart. Zelda could still feel the pain and sadness that had tormented him for most of his life, and wondered if the scars would ever heal.

"Let's go home," she quietly suggested. Without saying a word, they walked back to their new home, looking back only to make sure they hadn't been followed.

For the second day in a row, the King remained in his room, preferring to suffer alone in his misery. He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason he was so depressed, maybe it was the fact that he was so alone now, or maybe it was his regret about raising his daughter. Having an occasional fight with one's children was to be expected, but when one of your children was so antipathetic they refused to invite you to their wedding, well, then you must have been a truly terrible parent. Or perhaps it was because Link, in his youthful vigor and handsomeness, reminded him of just how old he was. The King was at an uncomfortable point in his life. He was too old to attract a mate, and too old to do battle, but he still had at least another thirty years ahead of him. He still ruled the Kingdom, a job that was a hell of lot less exciting than it used to be. People just didn't understand how dull peace could be. Perhaps he should start a war for a little excitement?

No, that was a stupid idea. Hyrule had not seen a full-scale war in seventeen years, and he doubted the people would tolerate another. In his younger days, he had a court jester; he often joked about how, in the old days, a court jester who failed to make the king laugh was put to death. But he was above such foolish diversions now. Or was he? Everybody needed to be entertained at least occasionally, did they not? The King found so little entertaining now, a symptom of his depression. He could go the castle library, but he had great difficulty finding novels he hadn't already read. Even the traditionally kingly sport of falconing held little interest now. He was so damn bored; he was going to go mad if he didn't do something about it.

There came a knock on his door. He was in no mood to talk with anybody, and gave an angry shout of "go away!"

"I talked with Zelda." It was Impa's voice, and she had interesting news.

"Come in," he grumbled.

"Where is she?" he asked immediately.

Impa sat down beside him, looking noticeably upset, unusual, given that Sheikah were not supposed to show their emotions. "I saw her in Kakariko Village, but I do not know where she lives now. I tried to tell her to come back to Hyrule Castle, but she would have none of it."

"You did not follow her?"

"No sir, it was the least I could do to respect their privacy."

The King pounded his hand down on a nearby table. "God damn it Impa! You're talking about my daughter! You're telling me that she never wants to see me again, and is perfectly content to live her life as a recluse! She's a princess, and she should live like one!"

That seemed to anger her somehow. "Your Majesty, Zelda doesn't want to be a princess anymore. I.I got rather upset with her and said some things I shouldn't have. She definitely wants this, and I think the best thing is to let her be."

The King wanted to retort, but could not. He knew in his heart that if he sought out his daughter, it would only anger her, and further spoil their relationship. "I.I don't know if I can do that, Impa."

"Your Majesty, you may not see your daughter for a long time, maybe you will not see her ever again. Would you want to remember her with thoughts of angst and sadness?"

"No."

"Then remember her as she was, and be happy for her. I know Link will be a good husband to her."

The King dismissed Impa, and he was alone again. Despite what he had been told, he could not feel happy for his daughter. Unlike before, he now felt terribly angry with her, and he felt very envious of Link. There was no point in telling himself that Zelda had meant no disrespect, because she had. It was her revenge, or perhaps it was the goddess's revenge. The chickens had come home to roost, and it was too late to whitewash the walls. He would just have to accept the fact that his daughter had gone, and move on.

But he missed her! He didn't know why he felt it now, after years of a growing rift between them. He missed Link as well, because he had began to see him as almost the son he never had. But instead of a son whom he could relate to, he had been given a daughter that he had no idea how to raise. First, his wife had left him, and now his daughter. Maybe he had won the Unification War, but for everything else, he had been a failure. Even he could not be warrior, his body was being weakened by age, and his skills and abilities having waned without use. He was not particularly loved by his people, unlike some of his predecessors. The people of Hyrule were so immersed in their "Golden Age" that they viewed the Unification War not as his heroic military campaign, but as a time of great violence and barbarity. What it would have been like to be a King three hundred years ago! In those days, the king owned all the land, and every vassal under him swore fealty to the Royal Family. Whenever war came to the land, the king would valiantly charge off into battle, and if he were victorious, would return to his homeland and family to tell tales of conquest. These days, people who weren't apathetic about the Royal Family saw him as being nothing more than an overly wealthy head of state that did nothing but sit on his throne all day. Without the respect of the people, what did a king have, anyway?

The King finished off another bottle of brandy. If he kept this up, soon the people would see him as an overly wealthy drunk. But at least drink could ease the pain, if not make him forget. Tomorrow would be another day, although he would not much notice its passing. Whatever happiness had existed before had left his life, leaving only the cold, uncaring walls of Hyrule Castle. He longed for female companionship, any companionship, but he knew he would never find it. In a fit of frustration and desperation, he tossed the empty bottle at the wall, shattering it. The King of Hyrule, reduced to this. Pathetic, he thought.

In the comfort of their home, Link and Zelda gave little thought to the King. Zelda had relegated her royal dress to a chest in the basement, vowing never to wear it again. Link had retired his tunic as well, now wearing something more comfortable and refined. Perhaps by coincidence of subconscious will, all of the clothes they had purchased were all differing shades of red. Zelda knew red symbolized passion; perhaps that was why they had chosen it. They now looked like a very elegant and charming couple; not like the unusual and mismatched pair they had been before. The dress she wore was so much lighter than her old one, and more flexible, too. Link could have made a convincing nobleman with his attire had it not been for his hair, but she wasn't about to have him restyle it.

This particular night was not unlike the one before, being cold and windy. Thankfully, Link had lit the fireplace, letting its soothing heat and flickering light fill the bedroom. They weren't tired yet, despite their day's travel. The incident with Impa was fading from her mind, and she found herself thinking less and less of her father and Hyrule Castle. That was her past, the past she wanted to forget. Zelda was with Link now, always and forever. Still, like anyone else, they would have to work to have their marriage last. She had seen married couples whose passion had all but gone out of their lives, reducing them to simply two people coexisting under the same roof. Some said that children stole their love away, leaving no time for each other. What was the expression they used? "The honeymoon is over?" She didn't know the future, but she knew it would be infinitely better than life without Link.

Link took her hand, and she was swept into his arms. Would they still be like in a hundred years time? Would they still hold each other, kiss, or make love with the same passion and emotion they felt now? Or would they simply grow too used to each other? Zelda hoped that would not happen, but she didn't know how long they were going to be together. It could be a long time until "death separated them."

"I wonder how your father is taking this," Link wondered aloud.

"Impa said he was upset, but it will pass. I don't think he ever truly cared about me."

Link brushed the side of her face with his hand. "I'm sure he cares about, Zelda. It's just that.," Link paused to find the words, "well, I guess it's hard to rule the kingdom and be a father."

Zelda moved her hands to his back, feeling the texture of his new clothes. Admittedly, it was difficult to get used to him wearing something other than his green tunic. He had worn it for so long, and she had rarely seen him dress differently. His tunic was simply "him," but now he would never wear it again. Zelda had considered burning their clothes as a way of symbolically "cremating" their old lives, but had decided against it.

And then he kissed her, deeply and slowly, the way she enjoyed it. They'd be making love tonight, she knew, and now they would have no reason to be embarrassed or nervous. She worried about what had happened in Kakariko Village; would they even be able to go there again? Impa had made it obvious to everyone in that café who she was, and those people would surely go back to their families and say something like "you'll never guess who I saw today." But a small part of her almost wanted to flaunt her freedom, to say to the world, "I can do anything."

Through the corner of her eye, Zelda saw the bathroom through the open door. She remembered that it was large enough for two people, and that she had secretly wanted to share a bath with her husband. Well, she thought, now's my chance.

The warm water was a welcome relief from the bitter cold outside, Link thought. Heated from a furnace in the basement, the water relaxed his tense muscles and seemed to cleanse his soul. In his younger days, "taking a bath," meant going for a swim in Lake Hylia without clothes, something that had resulted in terrible humiliation on more than one occasion. Now he had no reason to feel bashful, although the thought of swimming naked in Lake Hylia wasn't exactly appealing.

Zelda was in the basement, locating a bottle of fine wine that his parents had left. Candles had been lit around the edge of the tub; that had been her idea as well. Sometimes Link felt as if she was getting her ideas from romance novels, but that was fine with him. They really had no experience with love and intimacy, so you had to start from somewhere. He had given Zelda her first kiss, but for him that honor belonged to Malon. He couldn't remember their last kiss, which he found absurd. How could anyone forget their first kiss? But somehow, he had. Link had kissed her, he knew, but when, where, and what it had felt like were lost to his memory.

Zelda entered the bathroom, dressed only in a bathrobe, holding a green tinted bottle of something. After she set it down, he looked at the bottle label, discovering that it had been produced from a famous vineyard near Hyrule Castle that sold only fantastically expensive wines. How had his parents become so wealthy? They had a fortune equivalent to that of a noble, yet his father had been just a knight. It was so frustrating not to have the answers he so desperately sought. But Link put that aside now. Perhaps his father had looted an enemy's fortune during the Unification War. It certainly wasn't how he would have liked to see him, but it was a plausible explanation.

Link uncorked the bottle as his wife disrobed before him. He had seen her naked before, but she still managed to make him struggle for breath. She was just so perfect, like someone described in an overly romantic poet's verses. How did somebody so beautiful live such a miserable life? She certainly wasn't miserable now, which was plain to see. Zelda quietly dipped into the water, letting out a relaxing breath. She let the water soak into her golden hair, and Link had to wonder if she had ever had it cut. Then again, there was something so pleasing about it; perhaps it was the way it made her look like an angel or goddess. Zelda unquestionably had the body of one, being curvaceous and shapely. He could see why Prince Henoch had been so infatuated with her.

Link poured the wine into two small glasses and handed one of them to her. He had never been seriously inebriated; although he had some people seriously hurt themselves while under drink's spell. One man had become so drunk that he thought he was strong enough to do battle with a group of at least twenty Gerudo's. Needless to say, it had been his last drink.

"When I first met you, Link, I never thought we would be doing this," she pointed out, running her hands through her wet hair.

"Me neither." They had really beaten the odds, he thought. Stories like his were usually reserved for children's fairy tales, but sometimes those tales came true. "I thought I was going to be living in a cave all my life."

Zelda flashed her charming smile. "Then you should be thankful I found you."

"You found me? I was the one who was told to go to Hyrule Castle and find "the Princess of Destiny."

Zelda swam closer to him. "Did you ever think you would marry her?"

"I didn't know anything about marriage at the time. I believe that as a child, I found the whole concept of love rather revolting. I still remember the first time I saw a couple kiss, and the only thought I had was "what is he doing to her?" It's amazing what seven years will do to you."

"Oh, you were such an adorable child! I couldn't help but kiss you."

Perhaps Link was wrong about his first kiss. She had kissed him briefly when they had first met, and it had been his first. Strange that he had not remembered it. But they had been just children, children who did not understand what true love was. It was different now that they were responsible adults, well, maybe they weren't quite there yet.

Zelda suddenly looked sad. "All I wanted then was someone who would play with me, someone to talk to. I thought we could stay together, but my father wouldn't let us, Link. There were times I just wanted to die. I hope my father understands why I had to leave."

Her seven years hiding from Ganondorf, the abuse she suffered at his hands, her loneliness and estrangement from her father.she had so many scars. A normal person would have driven mad by it all, but Zelda was hardly a normal person. People would have wondered why he chose such a seemingly unhappy and emotionally fragile woman as his wife, but they didn't know her as he did. They hadn't seen Ganondorf turn the streets of Castle Town red with blood, and they hadn't seen him use the power of the Triforce for unspeakable evil purposes. When the Sages passed away, only they would hold the memory, and it was their duty not to forget, because Ganondorf was not truly dead, rather, he was only imprisoned. If they were to die, nobody would know of the evil contained within the Sacred Realm.

But Link did not want to think of that, it was too ugly. Instead, he savored the beauty before him, the beauty that was his wife. Her white skin seemed so pure and alluring in a way he had never known. He had seen his share of beautiful women, some of them who could tempt the devil himself, but Zelda somehow transcended all that. Perchance, she was an angel sent from heaven to deliver him from sorrow and loneliness, crafted by the goddesses to be his ideal companion. He had once read an ancient Hylian myth about a lonely god who built the perfect woman to be his eternal companion, but once he brought her to life, she fell in love with a mortal instead. It had some interesting parallels with his own relationship.

He took a sip of the wine, admiring its flavor, but no more than that. Some people had incredible standards for wine, discussing for hours its taste and bouquet, but Link wanted nothing to do with that. He had better things to do than to waste time on such pointless endeavors.

Zelda moved in closer until she was up against his body. Link put his wineglass aside and put his arms around her, taking in the delightfully sensuous experience. Her smooth skin seemed doubly so in the water; his hands subconsciously glided down from her back to the sides of her thighs. Again, she moved closer, resting her head on shoulder and kissing his cheek. As she did, he felt a brief sensation of pain as his shoulder struck the rim of the tub, but it quickly subsided. Then Zelda kissed him on the lips, in the manner she reserved only for those moments that she felt truly impassioned. She pushed his shoulders under the water's surface, her passion burning in her eyes. But he felt uncomfortable with this somehow, and he resisted.

"Zelda, my love, can't you wait until we go to bed?" he asked, guessing that she intended to make love to him right here in the bathtub.

She hadn't, but Zelda managed to see the humor in the moment. She threw her head back and laughed, and it Link had to admit it had been rather amusing. "Oh my sweet hero, you assume too much." She kissed him again, and then climbed out of the tub. Link did the same, draining the water as he left. Zelda began shaking the water out of her hair, letting her golden locks flail around her. Link smiled and walked out of the bathroom, still nude, lying down on the bed. Zelda walked up the bed's foot, and flopped down beside him, caressing his bare chest.

After a brief kiss, she rolled on top of him, kissing him repeatedly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled her to her back, happily laughing at their playful, intimate behavior. How did she put such a spell on him? It must have been a power granted to women by the goddesses, the power to ignite the fires of passion within a man's heart. Feeling a little bold, he moved his hands to her bosom, causing Zelda to giggle in delight. He couldn't help himself, her skin was so silky there, and she enjoyed it. Another kiss, and this time he ran his fingers through her still wet locks of hair. Such a rare woman, the thought, and she loved him. And to think, he used to think himself unfortunate! Link certainly wasn't an unfortunate man, not when he was making love to a beautiful woman. If her father or Impa found out about this, they would probably go berserk, but they weren't here, were they?

With her right hand, Zelda tickled his ear, a very sensitive part of a Hylian's body. He had never seen her so playful or teasing before, perhaps that was the result of her escaping all those years of repression. Link laughed and did the same to her; he couldn't let her get away with it, could he? Then it got serious, as it always did, and they ceased their playful actions. He spoke her name in a hushed whisper, kissing her slowly and deeply, and making passionate love to her under the pale moonlight. For the second night a row, they indulged in their deepest desires, making their most intimate of fantasies reality. Perhaps lovemaking might lose its appeal in a hundred years or so, but Link couldn't foresee that happening. Not when they were so wonderful at it.

Throughout that night, Impa patrolled the castle halls as she always. Being a Sheikah, she had been trained to require little sleep, which she only did during the daytime. It was all for nothing, really, she lamented. Now that Princess Zelda was gone, she had no real reason to be here, other than to guard the King. But the King already had plenty of protection, so what was left for her to do? Like the King, she too missed Zelda, being the closest thing the princess had to a mother. Impa could still remember the countless arguments with the King about the proper way to raise a princess, and he loudly protested her teaching Zelda swordplay. It was such a shame that neither she nor the King were any sort of parental figure. Zelda would have been so much happier, and maybe she wouldn't have run away.

The King had summoned her to his room; he seemed to have been doing that a lot lately. Impa didn't pretend to be an empathic or understanding person, but she could tell that Zelda's decision had deeply hurt her father. She didn't know much about weddings; the Sheikah were not permitted to marry, but it was obvious how important they were. Impa was still angry with the princess for what she had done, although she regretted saying some of things she had said to her. But couldn't Zelda have told her father, or at the very least, wrote him a letter explaining her actions? Unfortunately, Zelda seemed intent on burning bridges with everyone she had ever known except Link, and she had made it clear they wanted to be left alone.

Inside the King's room he sat, drinking a bottle of some exotic liquor. Impa had noticed his increasing desire for alcohol, and hoped it wasn't a permanent trend. It wasn't something she was particularly knowledgeable in, since Sheikah were forbidden from imbibing alcoholic drinks. She knew, however, that people often drank to forget, which meant the King was trying to drown his sorrow in wine, and it worried her.

"Yes sir?" she asked, hoping this would be short.

"Impa, what I am about to say stays between you and me for the time being."

Great, she thought. It had been her experience that whenever a member of the Royal Family wanted to keep something a secret, it usually meant trouble for her.

"I understand, sir."

"We both know, Impa, that I'm getting old. My days of glory have passed long ago, and now the people of Hyrule have forgotten my conquests."

It was worse than she had thought. The King was now wallowing in self-pity, probably a result of Zelda's elopement. Over the last few days, the King had droned on almost non-stop about how nobody loved him and how much of a poor father he had been. Maybe he had been a bad father, and maybe nobody truly loved him, but Impa was becoming tired of hearing of it.

Impa gave the requisite response. "Sir, that's not true-."

The King stood up. "Don't say it Impa, don't try to tell me I'm wrong. I am a warrior king, and Hyrule does not need a warrior king. I will be brief, Impa, when I say that I must abdicate the throne."

Impa couldn't believe she was hearing this. The King, give up the throne? That was something absurd; a Hylian King never abdicated the throne unless he had been conquered! The man was clearly not himself, and was obviously being influenced by recent events.

"Sir, I know you're upset, but-."

Again, he would not let her finish. "This has nothing to do with Link or Zelda. I have been pondering this for some time now."

Impa didn't believe him, but dared not say it. "Sir, you are a hero of Hyrule. Without you, we would never have unified the land."

The King didn't rise to the bait. "Maybe so, but I am a warrior, not a politician! I believe it is in the people's best interest that someone who can understand their needs take control of the Kingdom!"

She didn't know how to respond to that, because in her heart, she believed him. The King may have been a brave and heroic warrior, but he knew little of how to rule a country during peacetime. The only reason he hadn't been dethroned by the people was that he had not been faced with any crises, nothing that would have tested his leadership.

"Look your Majesty, I am ignorant in the field of politics, but I urge you to reconsider. I think you are letting your feelings cloud your judgment."

That seemed to get through to him. He frowned, and then gestured towards the exit. "Dismissed, Impa," he ordered flatly.

Seeing that she couldn't win, Impa left, shaking her head. Abdicate the throne! That was utter blasphemy! After all these years, could he simply "give up?" If he did resign the leadership of Hyrule, who would take his place? Would he choose a successor from among the nobility, or have the people select their leader? The consequences were too grave to consider now, so she pushed it out of her mind. Impa wondered from a brief moment what Link and Zelda were doing. If only she knew.