Once Liesl finished putting Zelda’s hair up in two braids and the rest back into a loose bun (with hairpin placed neatly atop it), the two women left the room and walked down the few turns to the small dining hall. The place they’d eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner together for over 10 years now. Barring a few nights like the one they would experience later. Though those were few, each one had Liesl wishing that it was just the two of them hidden away in their own little world once more. Naturally, the breakfast was delicious, and the conversation was light, at least until the King walked through the door…

No announcer preceded his entrance into the dining hall, presumably because he was coming to visit his daughter. However, as soon as King Bosphoramus Rhoam entered the room, Liesl’s eyes found him, and she stood without hesitation. The sudden movement caused Zelda to knit her eyes together, especially since she’d been mid-sentence when it occurred. However, the confusion soon gave way to surprise as she too turned to see her father stepping up.

For a moment, his eyes found Liesl, and he fixed her with that same mysterious stare he always did. She could never tell what was behind it, but considering the fact that he’d never exactly been warm or friendly, it couldn’t be anything good, right? The look passed silently, as it usually did, and the King’s attention shifted to Zelda. Whereupon she stood slowly, clasped her hands in front of her dress, and bowed slightly.

“Father.”

Liesl followed her lead a moment later, but the King acknowledged neither’s movement and placed a hand on the back of the nearest chair once he came to a stop.

“Zelda,” he started before waving his hand back toward her chair in unspoken permission for her to sit. Which she and Liesl both did a moment later. Of course, Liesl placed her hands in her lap and waited silently, intent on making herself as small and unnoticeable as possible.  

“Yes?”

She had clearly cut him off as he was about to start again, and the King paused before letting out a slow breath. “I don’t have much time today, so I won’t see you until the ball. I just came by to remind you what the next two days mean for the kingdom. You’re old enough now to take the future of this family into your own hands.”

Zelda’s expression wavered for a moment, but she eventually cleared her throat before speaking. “The sword chooses its hero, not me.” 

“We don’t know how the hero is chosen, especially your involvement. You should look for young men with the qualities that would make a selfless hero, as well as a good husband. If Ganon remains sealed away, then the sooner you have a daughter to teach, the better. That is how we save ourselves.”

Ah, this conversation again. The subject of which had Zelda’s mask fully slipping. It was the one subject she detested more than anything else and the King knew it. How many times had the two of them fought about it these past few years? How many times had Liesl stroked Zelda’s hair while she cried in her friend’s lap over this very thing? Too many to count. Of course, Liesl didn’t exactly enjoy the topic at hand either, but she did her best not to let the disdain show on her face. 

“But father, I haven’t even mastered my own powers yet. How am I supposed to–”

“I don’t want excuses! You will do this. Do you understand?” The King’s voice boomed out and easily filled the room. No doubt the kitchen staff were now aware of his presence, but no one appeared through the door to the kitchen. Smart. “We will not have Hyrule fall victim to the looming threat on our watch. Almost 500 years of peace will not be broken under my rule. It’s bad enough the monsters out east have grown restless.”

Zelda looked as though she were going to argue, but her mouth shut soon after opening it and her face returned to the stoic look of a dedicated princess thereafter. “I understand, Father.” 

“Good. Now, I will see you tonight.” With that, he turned and walked back for the door without even bothering to glance again toward his daughter. 

After he went through, Zelda hung her head and brought her hands up to grip her dress above her knees. “He didn’t even mention my birthday…”

Liesl could hear the sadness in those words, and her heart shattered into pieces for her friend. What was crueler, losing your father at a young age or having one that saw you as nothing more than a means to an end?

No words came to Liesl’s mind to soothe Zelda’s troubles. None would do an adequate job, anyway. Instead, she reached under the table and grasped Zelda’s closest hand with her own. A tight squeeze followed and Liesl sat silently with her friend while she fought against the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. 

“I hate this.” The words eventually tumbled quietly from Zelda’s lips before her head lifted and her gaze found her friend. 

“I know,” Liesl said with a nod of understanding. “I’m so sorry, Zelda.”

“It’s not your fault. You don’t have to apologize.”

Of course, but Liesl felt she had to say something to her friend. And in the end, it did fill her heart with sorrow. She felt Zelda squeeze back and then Liesl used her thumb to trace light circles over her skin. No more words came as the Princess wrestled with whatever thoughts ran through her mind and Liesl’s attention drifted to the plate of half-finished food in front of her.

“Are you still hungry?” Liesl asked.

Zelda took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh before shaking her head slowly. “No, I’m afraid my appetite is now ruined,” she admitted with a shrug. “What a waste. I could’ve gorged myself too without that damn thing restricting my damn stomach.”

That got a small exhale of amusement to pass through Liesl’s nose before she shook her head. “Yeah, I feared as much.” Honestly, she wasn’t feeling like eating much either. “Well, how about that walk, then?”

That suggestion seemed to perk Zelda up a bit, and she nodded with a weak smile. A final squeeze saw both women standing, but before Liesl caught up with Zelda, she reached down, grabbed her napkin, and scooped up the pastry on her plate that she hadn’t touched yet. She fell in behind the Princess a moment later and the two left their wing of the castle for the gardens above.

It took a few minutes to reach the large hall and the gardens beyond, but once they did, Zelda’s tightly controlled demeanor dropped away and Liesl could see her whole body relax. “I really wish I didn’t have to wear the mask the whole time,” she sighed and slowed until she was next to Liesl. Whereupon she looped her arm through her friend’s and steered them deep into the garden.

Again, the carefree way Zelda touched her gave Liesl pause, but she managed to clear her throat and reach up with her free hand to gently pat the hand now wrapped around her arm. “Me too, and I wish your birthday could be fun instead of stressful.”

“Mm, the ball too. Such things are supposed to be enjoyable, right? Filled with good food, wine, and dancing.” Zelda paused then, and the small smile that grew with each listed item slowly shrank away once more. “I suspect everyone else will have fun doing those things much more than I will.”

“Yeah,” Liesl agreed with a look that was full of sympathy. “I’m not sure how much I will be able to without you, though. You know I hate socializing.”

“Oh, I know,” Zelda said with a brief laugh. “The only highlight of the night will be watching your face as people try to approach you.”

“It’s not that bad!”

“Liesl, my dearest and most cherished friend, your face hides exactly zero emotion.”

That observation brought a little tint of red to Liesl’s cheeks and she had to turn away lest Zelda see the very real concern for how true that assertion was. Goddesses, she hoped her friend couldn’t tell what was going on in her head (and her heart). Or maybe it was because she spent so much energy controlling her face around Zelda that she didn’t have the strength to do it for anyone else? “Oh, sorry about that.”

“Don’t be,” Zelda said with a shake of her head. “I like it because it helps me know you’re really my friend. My actual friend, and not someone looking to gain favor with me. Not to mention the laughter and smiles we share are very precious memories.”

Not fair. Now, she was really going to turn red.

“Well, then I will do my best to flash you a few from across the room,” Liesl added. Because while Zelda would be busy being the Princess, Liesl would be bored being…herself. The daughter of a slain house, the girl forever living in the shadow of the Princess. Or so the whispers went. Except that’s exactly where she liked to be. Liesl had no grand ambitions to marry some lord and see the final destruction of her family’s name.

“Good, they’ll give me energy. However, you should try to enjoy yourself. One of us should have fun, you know.”

“Yeah…” If only her friends could be there. Calla might be, but the others were much too brutish for this kind of party, no doubt. Even if they would certainly make it entertaining. Calla herself might eat one or two of the lords alive if she got the chance. Or the ladies, if the rumors were to be believed.

“Rowan will be there,” Zelda quickly offered. No doubt in an attempt to tamp down the worry in the back of Liesl’s mind.

To which Liesl managed to smile and nod her head again. “That’s good. Maybe he’ll keep the boys away.”

Finally, a genuine laugh escaped Zelda’s lips, and it took her a few seconds to settle thereafter. “Oh, I expect he will. The only other person I’ve seen Rowan be so protective of is me. Even then, you might have me beat.”

“What? No, I think we’re equal,” Liesl countered with a shake of her head. “I’m sure if he had his way, no man would approach us at all.”

“Oh, how I wish that were the case.”

Mm, Liesl too. Alas, it was not meant to be. Not when Zelda’s father was so focused on his daughter and her future family. The same future that made Liesl’s expression sour.

“What?” Zelda asked.

Ah, emotions on the face, huh?

“Do you think you’ll find him tonight or tomorrow? A hero that could wield the sword?” The one the prophecies said would seal away the darkness should it return to stalk the lands of Hyrule. “Or a husband…”

“No,” Zelda said with no need to pause. “Not among the nobles of this land. For either. However, I will say there is a better chance of someone strolling up to that sword after almost 500 years and pulling it free than there is of me finding someone I’d want to marry. Not that it matters. In time, I’m sure my father will choose whatever husband he wishes if none prove themselves.” A deep sigh followed, and she tightened her grip around Liesl’s arm. “I can only hope that ours is not the lifetime that the evil returns. Between the lack of a hero and my own failures, we would be doomed.”

Hearing Zelda speak of a future marriage never failed not to twist Liesl’s stomach into knots. At first, because she didn’t want her friend to be forced into such a thing, but later for reasons that were more…selfish. However, it was that last part that captured Liesl’s attention, and she was able to push away her own discomfort once again. “You know I hate it when you talk about yourself like that.”

“But I am,” Zelda asserted. “I can’t use my powers to do anything. I can’t focus, I can’t summon them forth, I can’t–”

“You heal me,” Liesl interrupted before bringing them both to a stop. “And not just when we were kids, either.” Now that they stopped, Liesl’s arm shifted until Zelda’s dropped and her hand could be scooped up. Whereupon Liesl turned so she looked slightly down into those emerald eyes. “Do you remember the time I broke my arm a few years ago? After I fell from a tree in the courtyard?”

Judging from the bashful look on Zelda’s face, she did and probably knew where this was going. “…yes.”

“Then you remember you healed it and almost passed out in the process, from all the effort? You slept for almost two days straight and ate your weight in food when you woke up.”

“I remember hearing you didn’t leave my side the entire time, and that Impa had to bring your meals to you.” 

Liesl paused for a moment and swallowed before shaking her head. “Well, yes…but I was worried because I know the lengths you would go to help others.”

“Perhaps, but I can’t just heal you, Liesl. As wonderful as that is. I need to be able to heal others, too. To do more than heal, to be the guardian the Kingdom needs me to be.”

“You’ll get there someday,” Liesl said with a reassuring smile and believed with all her heart. “I know you will.”

“What if I don’t?” Zelda asked as a look of genuine concern kicked up on her face. Concern and fear, no doubt from the answer to that very question.

“Well, then clearly, I will have to throw myself to this great evil, so you have the incentive to save me.”

“Ugh, Liesl! Don’t even joke about that!” Zelda’s totally serious rebuke was accompanied by a smirk and a playful slap to Liesl’s arm. “You are to remain safe and sound, got it? I won’t have you getting hurt.”

“Of course, Princess.”

“Oh! You!” At least Liesl got to Zelda’s laugh some more. Once it faded, Zelda turned and led them on now that they were deep enough into the garden that their favorite bench came into view. Sure enough, she moved them to it and sat before dragging Liesl down with her.

“Of course, now my appetite comes back,” Zelda moaned before letting her head fall back.

“Well, we can eat lunch before you need to start getting ready,” Liesl offered as she mentally counted backward from when they needed to enter the grand hall while accounting for all that needed to be done. “If we don’t loiter.”

“That is, unfortunately, exactly what I want to do,” Zelda said with a sigh. “That’s all I want to do. I can’t even get a day off on my birthday…”

“No, apparently not. However, what you can keep getting is more presents…” Liesl let the words trail off as she reached into her pocket and retrieved the napkin. She peeled it back a moment later and then presented the pastry to Zelda as if it were some great prize. A partially flattened great prize. Which, judging by the excited look on her face, it was.

“I should’ve known,” Zelda said with a shake of her head. “Still looking out for me, hmm?”

“Always,” Liesl said with a nod. “But no more than you look out for me.”

“Aren’t we lucky?” Following her question, Zelda split the pastry into two and handed half back to Liesl, who knew better than to argue. “To always being there for each other,” she said as she held up her half as if in a toast.

“To always being there for each other,” Liesl repeated before “clinking” the treat together and taking a bite.