20

After Zelda came back out . . .

As Nekk came up, a couple of people clapped. He denied wanting the spot or Zelda, apologized to her and everyone. No one seemed upset.

Kaneli had some Ritos in the crowd clap, about five. More than Nekk, but not much more.

Brigdo smiled and addressed everyone politely. He got about ten claps.

Hino looked up long enough to say he wasn't interested in the position, and that he was forced to be there. Then he warned everyone that lightning might be coming that night, it was long past due, so dress appropriately. His claps were mixed, it sounded more like it was in thanks of the warning.

As Zelda moved in front of Sidon, there were about thirty claps. Some Zoras, some not. It looked like Hyrule was suspicious of the Zoras too.

Zelda moved toward King Dorephan who got only a couple of claps, until Prince Sidon grabbed Zelda's hand.

Link notched up his sword instinctively. What was Prince Sidon doing grabbing Zelda?

"None of these men, although fine men, are right for the role of King," Prince Sidon said, "except one that was not in the line-up."

Link watched Sidon move Zelda over to him.

"As much as it might hurt the Zoras, there is only one true King. The one who helped defeat Calamity Ganon and the Divine Beasts." Prince Sidon smiled at him. "The one who was ranked Who's Who Should Rule Hyrule's number one spot. The Princess' Knight!"

Link's ears almost started to hurt as the crowd cheered and whistled as loud as they could for him.

Prince Sidon backed away from Link. "Let's ready the princess while the tally is decided officially."

Zelda, stunned, was easily led away by Prince Sidon. "Wait, this isn't what I was planning for."

Link looked again at the other men there. None of them would be great kings. Neither would he, but Hyrule didn't need a great king. It needed a leader who brought people and peace together. It needed Zelda, and the new King would try to take over her.

If he was King, he could still leave most power up to the Queen: Zelda.

"Link is a leader!"

"None of the others come close!"

"You can't trust someone who already has a kingdom!"

"She doesn't know anybody, this isn't right! We need a decent King for Hyrule!"

"Hyrule! Hyrule! Hyrule!"

"King Link! King Link! King Link!"

Link watched as Zelda came out. There was something odd about her outfit. He couldn't place it. It was a wedding outfit, white, standard. He watched her expression to see how anxious she'd been.

Plain. She didn't look as anxious as she should and just smiled at him. "You are getting yourself into trouble again, Link. Fortunately, I have this under control."

The cupcake message. Something was set up in her favor. Link nodded toward Sidon and the whole castle exploded into even louder cheering.

Zelda came up on the other side of him, a slight bow. She headed toward the center with him following after her.

The Priest started to speak. Link glanced at Zelda. She was trying to look somber and depressed, she should be if it were real. Still, he could see small signs that things weren't right. The dress too. Link wasn't an expert on fashion, but something felt wrong about the dress. About the whole castle. The event. Not just the fact he was marrying Zelda, warning signs were going off. His head kept seeing . . .

////"How is the whole Ganon thing coming?" A royal priest asked as Zelda and he arrived in the main room.

"Well, thank you for asking," Zelda said graciously.

"Wonderful. Afterwards we can put this whole mess behind us and get back on track." The royal priest adjusted his glasses. "Do you know where your silent princess has gone? Is it still well?"

Zelda sighed. "I have taken care of the flower, but I must leave. I have urgent business to attend to. Come Link."

As Link left, he heard the priest again.

"Fine my dear, but after your urgency and victory, you still need to fulfill your future roles. Have you told your suitors to wear blue yet?"////

Blue! That was it. Blue. Blue should be all around.

"To name any children . . ." Kapson caught himself. "Sorry, wrong part from an earlier wedding." He continued on again. He was almost done before-

"Stoop! Stop, stop, stop!" A very elderly man headed forth.

Link noticed Zelda's act of a nervous attitude was no longer present. It was now real nerves.

"Hang on, let me get up there," the elderly man insisted. He moved toward Kapson. "This is an official royal wedding. It must be performed in a certain way, by a certain individual, otherwise it is not legally royal." He looked toward Zelda. "Ah. I trained for this day for a long time. It's amazing I really made it this far."

Zelda didn't seem happy to see he made it thus far. "I thought all the royal priests were deceased?"

"No, no. Almost I am sure, but no. I am 121 and still . . . still somewhat kicking." He noticed her dress, much like Link did. "That won't do. Where is your royal blue dress?" He looked toward Link's blue Champion Tunic. "The future King has his colors, but the future Queen will need hers."

"No really, it's-"

"I've got that blue color!" Someone insisted. "It's not a wedding dress."

"Any dress will do, as long as it's royal blue. Where is the bouquet?" He then addressed. "There should be a bouquet with blue flowers of different shades, surrounding a silent princess flower."

"Link," she formally addressed him. "The plan is changing, you should step down. Now."

Oh, so that's what it had been. To be official they needed certain things, including a royal priest. Now, it was becoming official to her.

He already made his decision. With him as king, no one could hurt her. With him as king, no one could abuse their power over Hyrule.

"Link, please," she insisted. "Plans have really changed, I don't have control anymore." Panicked. She had people now pulling her away to put on a royal blue dress.

Link stood there, watching as things started to change to the blue he was wearing. That's right, he remembered. Zelda even made the outfits he and the others wore out of the same blue. The Champions were Royal Champions, that's why they shared the same color.

Zelda was brought back out but saw Link still standing there. "Link, I'm not kidding. The plan has changed."

Link shook his head. Prince Sidon was right, he wasn't going to play lookout by a stable or by Zelda's dungeon door. He swore to protect Princess Zelda, and he couldn't do that anymore as just a knight.

"Link. You aren't thinking this through," she accused him. "Even if I'm cured, this doesn't end."

"Stop the chat," the Priest insisted. "Crowns, we need crowns. Without the official crowns, hmmm. Someone make crowns of blue flowers and place it on their heads." He smiled at Zelda. "Blue can almost replace everything we can't get, except for one thing. Me. It's a good thing I'm here." Zelda didn't reply. "I passed on my teachings too should anything happen to me. This one though, the first to bring the King and Queen officially back? Oh, there was no way my apprentice was getting this one!" He laughed and then coughed, and then melted into a gag.

Link watched a bunch of linked blue flowers get placed on top of his head like a child's invention. Zelda received the same treatment but hers looked better. It was just the rest of her that didn't.

They both kept themselves steady as the marriage now started over, the proper way. There was even fire being burned on a torch. There was a lot of wording about fire.

He didn't leave her side. He looked back toward Prince Sidon, his almost trademarked grin on his face.

While Link held Zelda's hand and listened to the priest, he was scanning the crowd for any sign someone was going to go after her. She was classified a monster, and it meant not everyone might feel safe with her there. So far, no concerns. Most seemed satisfied with the situation. As long as he was King, he could take care of the new Queen.

"Link," she whispered harshly. "I know you think this is the only way to protect me, but marrying me just pulls a load of problems onto you."

Link didn't respond.

"You are marrying a monster, Link."

He was marrying a princess that needed his protection to become the queen she should be.

"Hyrule does not want me staying on the throne," she warned him as another excuse.

Link didn't see that. As long as he was king, it looked like everyone was delightfully happy. Even the other kingdoms didn't seem that upset.

"Things will be expected of you, Link, things beyond fighting," she tried to warn him once again. "Please. Stop this madness."

It wasn't madness.

"Link, you will live with so much regret," she warned him.

He was less of a public speaker than the average person, but he needed to make her feel better. He took both of her hands and patted them gently.

"I can't help you," she told him. "Marrying me. Being around me 24/7. It won't give you your old memories back. Maybe it will jog something, yes, but it will never truly let you have your memories. Start anew, away from me. Forget the past. Give yourself a new future, Link."

Is that the only reason she thought he was doing this? It was one, but not even the biggest reason. She was Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, actual title Queen of Hyrule, and daughter to the former King Rhoam. He lived to protect her and the kingdom. None of those men that would be the next king were fit to take on the troubles of restoring Hyrule.

Only Zelda. He would be king in name, but he would always be her knight.