The witching hour. A perfect time for Zelda to sneak away from her husband to see her true love. There was no longer any point in denying it from herself. She bore deep feelings for her knight. Every ounce of life within her wished to be with him, every moment of the day. To enjoy life with him. To live by him.

Philip's snores were somewhat quiet, surprisingly. Zelda expected him to be loud during the night.

She lay in their bed, only a foot away from her husband. Leaving would be difficult, surely. It didn't matter to the young Queen, however. She would do anything to see Link.

"Goddesses, I can't believe I'm actually going through with this," Zelda whispered to herself aloud. She slowly slid away from Philip, gently, carefully. Her hands shook nervously.

Soon, Zelda slipped off of the edge of her large mattress. She turned behind her to see Philip snoring soundly. She sighed quietly, closing her eyes for a moment. After she calmed the quickened thumping of her heart, Zelda glided across the smooth wooden floors. She ever so carefully twisted the lock on the glass balcony doors. When she pulled them open, she was greeted by a gust of nighttime wind that made her shudder.

She left the doors open, walking over to the railing at the edge of the balcony. She looked downward, and almost screamed in fear. Link was just below her, with a grin on his face.

His hands were gripping two arrows. He must have used them to scale the tower. He was no longer wearing his required knight's uniform.

"I take it you're too lazy to accept a night shift," Zelda smirked.

"You've caught me," Link chuckled softly. "I get too tired at night."

"Yet you're here?" Zelda questioned.

Link's head was almost above the railing. "I couldn't miss out on seeing you."

"Zelda?"

Zelda gasped, turning herself around. Her hands gripped the marble railing ever so tightly. Philip stood, only a few feet away from her.

"My love," he began, "why are you awake at such a time? You should be in the warm comfort of our bed."

Zelda smiled, trying to hide her nervousness, as well as the boy one foot below her. "A restless night for me, that's all, dear. I came out in the night, hoping the breeze would put my mind at ease."

Philip walked forward. "Oh, I see. I understand." His hands were placed on Zelda's waist. His face, only inches from hers. Even in the darkest of night, she was stunning. The moonlight caressed her face ever so wonderfully. "How about you come back inside, where it's warm?"

Zelda took a deep breath, placing her lips against Philip's cheek. "Sounds good. I'll be in soon, okay?"

Philip grinned. "Take your time, love." Before he walked away, he carefully placed his hand under Zelda's chin, lifting her head up in the perfect position for him to kiss her. Philip's lips were as soft as silk. Zelda couldn't find herself to pull away.

After a moment of the married couple staying locked together, Philip broke away, sighing. "I am very tired. I'll be back in bed, love."

Zelda nodded. "I'll be joining you soon."

Philip began to walk away, letting his hands slowly slip from Zelda's. He closed the balcony doors behind him, ensuring the room would be encased in warmth, unbothered by the nighttime chill.

Zelda breathed a heavy breath of relief. "He's gone, and in bed," she said. Her bare feet clapped against the marble, as she looked over the railing. Link hung in the air, gripping his arrows with all of the strength in him.

"Took you long enough," Link grunted, pulling himself up. "My arms are going to be ripped."

Zelda giggled. "Probably."

Link couldn't wait a second longer. He wrapped his muscular arms around the young Queen, feeling her body heat against the light clothing on his chest. He held her tightly, squeezing occasionally. He never knew at what point he would see her again, so he made the most of this moment.

"I missed you already," Zelda frowned. "I feel so unsafe."

"He won't harm you," Link said angrily. "I won't allow it."

"I know, Link." Zelda closed her eyes, wishing for Link to stay by her side for forever.

Link placed a kiss on the top of Zelda's blonde head. He flinched when he heard a gasp, initially thinking it was Zelda. "Zel? What's the matter?"

"I knew it!" Philip cried, throwing the glass doors open violently. "I knew you were still in love with that—that fool!"

Zelda stammered, thinking of something—anything—to say, to save her hide, yet there was nothing. Nothing. "He's only a friend, dear! Checking up on me! He knew how stressful this marriage was for me, even you know that!"

Philip clenched his teeth in anger. He stomped over to his wife, taking her forearm in his hand. He pulled Zelda back and away from Link, leaving her yelping like a helpless puppy.

"Get your hands off of me!" Zelda gasped, clawing at Philip's fingers.

Philip was unfazed by Zelda's weak attack. Each time she scratched, his hand gripped tighter. Zelda continued to cry, feeling the strength of her unfortunate husband.

"You're hurting her!" Link growled. He picked up an arrow he used to scale the tower that he had tossed to the marble floor. He gripped it in his left hand. "Let go, or I swear, you'll regret it."

"And do what, you retched flea? Harm the newly crowned King?" Philip cackled maliciously. "You'll be executed immediately."

"Link, stop!" Zelda begged. "Stop! I'm okay! Please, just leave!"

Philip forcefully grabbed Zelda by her cheeks, pulling her face onto his. His kiss was sloppy. Zelda was screaming throughout the painful seconds it took for her to pull away. When she escaped his locked lips, Zelda's arm slipped out of his palm as well. She tripped backwards, quickly running behind Link. Her knight took an attack stance.

"Link, please, don't harm him," Zelda sobbed. "You'll be killed. I need you to be alive."

Link wasn't listening, however. His eyes were glossed over with anger and warm tears.

Philip growled. "I will report you to your father for treason of your own kingdom, Zelda," he began with a smirk, "and you will be thrown to the dungeon, to rot away, while I am left with the throne. Your father cannot reclaim his place as King."

"He's right," Zelda said quietly. She gripped the back of Link's silky shirt. "Leave, Link. Go home! He'll kill you!"

"Why, you're right, my dear!" Philip suddenly lunged for the young knight, swiping a dagger from his pant pocket, hidden away from sight. Link's eyes widened, unable to escape.

Philip's dagger dug deep through flesh and blood. His lips formed into another smirk, until realization washed over him.

His dagger was sunk into his wife's arm.

Not Link's.

The Queen grunted, keeping the pain inside. She clamped her teeth down against her tongue. If she were to scream, the whole castle would wake up. She refused to allow that to happen.

Philip yanked his dagger from Zelda's arm, splattering the Queen's blood onto the marble floor. "What have I done?" he muttered. "I've gone mad. Mad. Mad. That's all I am."

Link swung at Philip, locking his fist and slamming it into his jaw. He heard a crack, and Zelda flinched.

He fell to the ground, unconscious.

Zelda bit her bottom lip, sliding to the cold marble floor. She sniffled continuously, vigorously, from keeping herself from making any noise. Link pulled his shirt from his body, swiftly wrapping Zelda's arm. He led her back inside the castle, sitting her on her bed.

Zelda took a pillow from where she slept, sinking her teeth into the soft fabric. Tears streamed down her eyes, agony erupting through her. The gash was deep, and most likely required medical attention immediately. Link searched through Philip's drawers, stealing a few clean night shirts.

He tied another around Zelda's wounded arm, then slipped one onto himself, covering up his body once again. No matter how tight Link tied the cotton shirts around Zelda's arm, the scarlet blood continued to flow, splotching and staining Philip's shirts.

"Breathe," Link advised.

Zelda released her lip. She took deep breaths through her nose, and exhaled through her mouth. Link's hands rested on her thighs as he looked at her, repeating the technique he was using.

"You'll be okay," Link nodded his head slowly. "Just breathe."

"How am I going to hide this?" Zelda gasped in between breaths. "If we tell my father he did this to me, Philip will tell him—"

"Shh," Link calmed the Queen. "Don't worry about that. Just focus on your breathing."

Zelda continued to do as Link said. After a few moments, though, Zelda began to think about the trouble she put herself in. Something bad would happen, she was sure of that much. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. Her breathing became hitched and uneven.

"Breathe, Zel," Link whispered at first, until Zelda's eyes closed. "Zel! Breathe!"

Zelda's breaths were so quick, that she was inhaling too much oxygen too fast. Her vision went jet-black.

The last thing she heard was Link's screams.

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