Next day, Link sat in front of a desk at an office. Precisely the office he and the King used the first day they met. When the Hero asked for a room to receive the Zora Princess, the Queen immediately suggested the use of that office, but not without asking what Ruto was coming here for. Once Link explained the situation, both royals stared at him in shock.
LINK POV
*The royals are not pleased with this at all*
I know, but I will do what I can to steer her away, this time PERMAMENTLY
*Did you noticed Zelda's reaction to all this yesterday? *
Her anger at the idea of me courting Ruto? Yes, she must REALLY hate the Zora girl if she is unwilling to pair her with me… a man she also hates.
*I am not sure what was driving her was hate. I actually think she was jealous*
KNOCK KNOCK!
Link stands up and fixes his navy embroidered jacket. He circles the desk he was using previously unbuttoning first few buttons of the jacket, thus revealing his black undertunic paired with his ebony breeches. He quickly side-glances to his right where his cellphone was located and recording, partially hidden by a plant.
"COME IN"
The door opens and Princess Ruto strides in gracefully, a very light flowy white dress covering her already statuesque body. She approaches Ziel trying to hug him, but the Hylian Prince grabbed the Zora girl by her shoulders, keeping her at arm's length from him. Ruto stares at him with a sweet smile and blows him a kiss.
"Did you have any trouble getting here?" Link asks the male Zora warrior that entered the room, he obviously came to guard the Zora Princess.
"Everything was as expected" the Zora answered.
Ruto stopped pushing against Link and, taking a step back, she started to pull her dress down. Link grabbed her hands to stop her.
"But I am hot" Ruto says "and I am not used to having to wear anything" the Zora Princess says as she starts to pull down the right ruffled shoulder sleeve of her dress provocatively.
Link stops her and calmly says "If you were to remove your clothing, you would be disrespecting ME and the customs of the Hylian people… MY people"
"My intention is not to disrespect you. I am displaying my body in front of you to make you crave me" she giggles "It's just harmless flirting" Ruto says winking.
"It would be harmless flirting if we were engaged, but I no longer hold the Zora sapphire in my possession, and we can't be engaged without it" Link states plainly.
Ruto sighs and rolls her eyes "True, you don't… but I did give it to you. That still counts"
"Why do you want to marry me?" the Prince asks.
"Because you are my… our hero, who doesn't want to marry the hero?" Ruto giggles "besides the last excuse you told us no longer applies, you claimed that marrying a peasant like you would diminish my reputation. But now you are Hyrule's Prince. By the standards you previously imposed, we can marry now"
Here it goes, I hope Zelda is watching and hearing correctly, I want be able to hold her as witness if I ever need to.
"Correct, that is no longer an issue. But now I have 2 new reasons, allow me to unpack them for you" Link breaths in deeply "First one: I feel used, like this is a marriage out of convenience, because now I belong the most powerful family on this land. And please don't treat me like I am stupid, I know you are thinking about the benefits this marriage will bring to your people"
Ruto stares at Link furious, she wanted to talk back but really could not, she HAD entertained the idea of the economic benefits this marriage will bring.
"Second: you don't love me… and please don't look at me like that, you know it's true. And how could you love me if you don't even know me"
"With the marriage I would eventually get to know you. Know the way you think, and how or why you do the things you do. The important thing is that you are not a bad person, I and the whole Zora race know that"
Link sighs "Ok… you fall in love with me, then what? You get to enjoy me until I am 30 or 40, at 50 I will wrinkle, my hair will turn gray, I will lose body mass, I won't be able to move like I used to"
"Hylians… grow old that fast?" The Zora princess asks.
"We do, your race almost doubles if not triples our life span, I will become a shackle for you. I don't want a wife that stays with me out of obligation and pity, and you don't want to be an early widow. As much as you feel grateful for what I have done, and as much as I see how beautiful you are, or how wise you will become… let's cut it here before we hurt each other" Link says as he holds Ruto's hand and kisses it.
The Zora Princess sobbs a little, but ends up nodding. She slowly approaches the Hylian Prince with tears rolling down her face. Then suddenly, on one last act of boldness, she pulls on Link's neckline to draw him in and kisses him deeply on the mouth. Raziel was about to push her away but slowly surrounds her lower back with his left arm, using his right hand to caress her face.
ZELDA POV
WHAT THE FRIKING FUCK… he is kissing her back. He did say he didn't want her, right? so why is he doing this? gosh I want to rip her to pieces.
The Princess kept staring at what was happening on her cellphone. A few seconds later Link drew his head back, parting from the kiss. He smiled at Ruto as she turned away from him and started walking out. The Zora knight bowed respectfully at Link and followed his Princess out.
Zelda stands up and practically runs out of her room. Her intention was to watch the Zoras out of the castle. As she was about to walk down the stairs she gasped. Ruto was coming up the stairs, followed by her guard.
What? Why?
Zelda was about to turn back and hide behind her room's door. But the Zora princess looked up and noticed the Hylian Princess standing at the top of the stairs
"Zelda, you are actually here… GOOD" Ruto exclaims.
"Good day Ruto, what brings you here"
"I am leaving, invite me into your room please" Ruto demands.
"Wait, why do you want to enter my room if you are leaving?" Zelda asks a little puzzled.
"This is the east tower, isn't it? the balcony here is close to the moat. I can jump down into the water and swim my way back home"
Zelda looks at Ruto puzzled "You could try… but why do you want to do that? just use the entrance like everyone else"
"I CAN'T… I won't. I will draw too much attention. Due to the early hour of the meeting with the Prince, not many of your people saw me when I got here, but the few who did where afraid of me. At this hour, everyone is awake and using the streets… I don't want to terrorize them any further" The Zora princess admits trying her best not to look at Zelda in the eyes.
She is… actually thinking of the mental distress she may put my people through?
[I don't hate her, I really don't. And I am sure she has matured a lot]
Ziel was right… I never though Ruto could be capable of acting in favor of someone other than herself.
Zelda just opens the door of her room from the outside and grins inviting them in.
"Thank you" Ruto says and walks right in, followed by her guard.
The Hylian Princess follows the Zora inside her room and closes the door behind herself. She leans on the door for a few seconds when Ruto starts giggling.
"Girl, take it easy, I am a princess but so are you. No need to feel distressed, besides… your room is very neat, I could almost say that you don't even sleep here"
I don't like where this is going, why is she so observant and analytical? When did she turned into this version…
"It's not that, it's just… my balcony is the one closest to the moat, but if you jump from it right now, you will still drop to the ground" sighs "you need to take a horizontal leap of 2 meters to ensure you will fall on the water, I don't know what to use to help you with that"
Ruto stares at her touched by Zelda's distress. She smiles.
"Do not worry about that, Mikau here is very strong, he can throw me 2 meters at least no problem"
The Zora warrior clears his throat a little "I will see to it that my princess reaches the moat safely, and then I will take some impulse to leap those 2 meters myself. Thank you for your concern"
And he talks, I like him, he seems nice.
Zelda smiles "I see. Then follow me to the balcony"
Ruto frowns a little "Just like that? you are a girl, aren't you? why aren't you meddling in?"
Zelda starts playing with her short hair nervously "I don't think is appropriate for Hyrule's princess to indulge on another princess affairs"
"FUCK THAT" Ruto yells.
Now THIS is more like the Ruto I now.
Mikau stands between both girls and stars talking to Zelda.
Bowing his head a little, the Zora warrior speaks "Please do not take this personal, she is not insulting you in any way. I think she just wants to talk with you"
Have I said how much I like this Mikau guy? She doesn't deserve him at all, but I guess she does need him.
The Zora princess groans "Thanks for translating for the brainless bimbo here" she states pointing at herself.
Mikau glares at his princess disapprovingly, Zelda sighs and decided to open up to Ruto.
"Life has thrown at my face, again and again, proof that I am a failure as a girl. I don't know about you, but I grew up alone inside these walls, no human interaction and no friends. So, I really don't know what can be considered appropriate or not" the Princess draws 2 huge curtains and opens the glass door behind them, leading to the balcony.
"If you want to talk or complain about whatever Link said, I will listen" Zelda earnestly said.
Princess Ruto stared at the Hylian princess, her anger slowly receding… then picked up one of the pillows and threw it at Zelda's face.
Not what I had in mind, but message received loud and clear.
"HEY, no need to behave like a barbarian, how did the meeting with the Prince went?"
The Zora princess sighs "As expected actually, I knew he was going to refuse, but I still needed to hear his reasoning behind it… I was sure I could refute his logic but"
"But you couldn't, he tends to be like that all the time, and I hate it" Zelda complains.
WTF, am I opening up emotionally to Ruto?
Ruto nods "I know right? He actually made me feel that walking away from this was the right thing to do. That pushing for this will end up in pain for both of us… and he is right"
Zelda stares at Ruto actually feeling sorry for her "That must have been a harsh reality to accept, and knowing Link, he must not have softened the blow"
"It was brutal, but I needed this reality check… Zelda, please promise me one thing"
Zora princess, I am staring to actually like you, but I am not sure I can promise you anything.
"As long as it is within my capabilities" Zelda regally states.
Ruto smiles "It is… I need you to watch over Link"
Me? watching over him? does she know the man she is talking about?
Ruto soon realizes that what she said could be misunderstood and explains herself.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't mean babying him. I know he is very capable and a damn good fighter… but if I can't be with him, then I want to at least make sure no unworthy female is ever allowed to even try" The Zora princess declares with finality.
Wow
"I understand, define a worthy female for Prince Raziel please" Princess Zelda kindly requests.
Ruto adjust her seating position on Zelda's bed and clear her throat "She has to have a healthy weight, preferably slim. A strong moral character IS A MUST, Link cares about the people, she has to care a lot too. He has a strong appetite, so she has to be able to at least fix him an easy meal, it would be ideal if she can make him a desert from time to time too. Her face doesn't need to be gorgeous, as long as she is cute is fine, he doesn't care that much about appearance. And finally, the most important trait: SHE HAS TO BE SMART"
Ruto sighs "Link is extremely intelligent, he needs someone that can follow his train of thought and either support him, or contest him… He might not look like her oposing view, he may even yell and grumble about it. But in the end, he will appreciate any female that can endorse his ideas, or shut them down if she notices a flaw"
And suddenly… Ruto is not all that bad. In fact, she may have been good for him, not perfect but, NO. I still would have tried to dissuade him from taking her. But now I feel bad for wanting to drive her away, for having never considered giving her a chance.
"That is a very well thought list of requirements, anything else?" Zelda smirks "Skin color, hair color, height, breast size, or maybe have sexual exper-"
Zelda didn't even finish the sentence, since Ruto punched her on the gut. It was a weak punch, but it shut the Princess up.
"This is serious you fucking blonde" Ruto yells smiling, then both of them cracked laughing.
I should stop texting as much with Zid, his antics are kind of rubbing off on me, it worked to relax the Zora Princess, but I am a Princess myself, I am expected to behave.
"I will do my best to assure that he is paired with someone that meets all your criteria, don't worry about him…" Zelda smiles, and Ruto lets out a sigh that felt like she finally let go of a heavy burden.
Then, the Hylian Princess starts to fumble with her hands nervously "Ruto, before you go, leave your clothes here, they look good on the both of you, I would hate for you to ruin them b wetting" Zelda clears her throat "I will place them inside a chest that will be directly under my balcony. My idea is to advocate for you to be able arrive here using the river that connects to the moat. That way, you will travel faster without scaring anybody" Zelda giggles "And to play ¨dress up the Zora.¨ I would like to buy you more dresses like the one you are wearing, and more outfits for Mikau"
Ruto stares at Zelda in shock, but soon smiles undressing. "I like yellow, blue and red. See you later" the Zora Princes waves and allows Mikau to pick her up and walks to the edge of the balcony. And sure enough, he easily throws her into the moat.
Ruto was not boasting, Mikau is strong.
The male Zora walks back to Zelda undressing himself, he then humbly hands over his clothes and bows at Hyrule's Princess. "For helping my princess find solace, and for seeking to ensure our comfort in future visits. Thank you"
Mikau jogs to the edge of the balcony to gain momentum before jumping off. Zelda quickly follows him to the edge; she wanted to watch both Zora swimming away. But what she actually managed to see was the Zora princess breaching the water and waving at her, Zelda caught herself smiling as she waved them off.
This was… unexpected, I think we just became friends, and I am happy abut it.
Zelda grabbed the clothes the Zora left behind and headed out of her room. As she approached the stairs, Link was heading up. He stared at the clothes the Princess had in hand.
"Did you eat them?" Ziel ask jokingly.
Rolling her eyes "No, but I have to find a chest to store these clothes and place said chest under my balcony"
Link squinted his eyes and kept staring at the Princess as she passed him.
Zelda sighs "This is just to accommodate them for future visits" she said walking away.
Link just beamed knowing that Zelda probably meet the REAL Ruto. He started whistling as he walked towards hell.