Sabotaged Love: A Zelink Story

Chapter 2: The Three Suitors

     Zelda tended to be an indecisive person, but the decision she made today was one she had absolutely no trouble making.

     "None of them. I just can't, Father," Zelda said firmly to her father once they were behind closed doors. Today her father had held a banquet for Zelda to meet her three suitors: Sir Gideon, Sir Phillip, and Sir Groose. As the princess of Hyrule, she was expected to choose one of them to marry, and he would rule as future king by her side. Things like this generally took weeks or even months to finalize, but after meeting her choices for a husband, Zelda wanted nothing to do with any of them.

     "But, my dear, this was your first time even meeting them! You can't say that so quickly. Let's take some time and think about this," King Rhoam pleaded, following behind her as she stomped down the hallway to her bedroom.

     "I don't need to 'think about' anything. I have eyes! And what I saw did not impress me—it disgusted me. I can't, I just can't." She pushed the door open to her bedroom and tried to close it behind herself, but her father held it open and stepped into the room with her.

     "Zelda, I... I know this must be very hard for you. I can't imagine how you must be feeling—"

     "Really? Then you obviously haven't tried very hard to," she snapped, turning to face the wall. She felt a sting of guilt and instantly regretted her words, but she didn't apologize.

     King Rhoam sighed deeply and sat down in a chair. He spoke more carefully than ever. "Zelda... this is a lot I'm asking. I understand that. Your mother made the same sacrifices when she married me. I made similar sacrifices. Marriage in royalty is simply difficult. Often it is better to choose someone who has something that can benefit the future of the kingdom than just someone you love."

     "I already understand, Father, you don't need to explain it," she replied testily. Then she sighed and turned around to face her father. "I'll... think about it."

     He smiled under his big white beard and stood up. "Thank you, my dear. Now, please get some rest." He came over to hug her and then left. Almost immediately after he left, Zelda called for her handmaiden, Vilate.

     Zelda sat down on her bed and absentmindedly tapped her fingers against the nightstand until her friendly handmaiden appeared in the doorway.

     "Good evening, your majesty," Vilate said warmly. She had a round, kind-looking face and long black hair that was usually pulled up into a bun. She wore a simple white dress and an apron. "Is there something I can do for you? Would you like tea or pastries? Can I get a hot bath prepared for you?"

     "No thank you, Vilate, but there is something else. I need to talk to you," Zelda said, gesturing for Vilate to come sit down with her. Vilate closed the door and sat across from Zelda in the same chair King Rhoam had sat on a few minutes previously.

     Zelda put her face in both hands and moaned. "What do I do? How can I choose one of them?"

     Vilate moved from her chair to sit next to Zelda on the bed and placed a hand on the shoulder of Zelda's silky, pink dress. "Oh dear, Your Majesty... now that is a tough question to answer."

     Zelda removed her hands from her face and looked at Vilate in desperation. "What would you do?"

     Vilate looked at the carpeted floor and thought before saying, "Well, I'd use the process of elimination, I suppose. Which one of the three is the most horrible?"

     "Groose. Undoubtedly Groose," Zelda replied without second thought. "He's so pompous and arrogant. Not to mention he's very ugly." The two girls giggled together. "It's obvious he only wants to marry me to have a higher status in the kingdom. But of course he's father's first choice because he supplies the weapons for Hyrule's troops. Apparently he's threatened to stop supplying weapons altogether if I don't marry him."