Sabotaged Love: A Zelink Story

Chapter 15: Dual Escape

     "Help!! Anyone, please help!!" Zelda screamed, banging her (now numb) fists against the door with all her energy.

     "Someone, please! We're locked inside!"  Vilate joined in behind her.

     She shook the door latch for the tenth time. "Ugh, what idiot designed this? What kind of door locks from the outside? Whoever it was, I'll have them hanged as soon as I get out of here."

Vilate gave a nervous laugh. "You're so funny, Your Majesty."

Zelda glared at her handmaiden, letting her know it was no joke.

Zelda had never felt so helpless in her life. The only boy she had ever loved was in imminent danger, and she couldn't do anything about it because she was stuck inside her own room. He had done so much for her, yet she couldn't even use her status as a princess to prevent his death.

"I didn't think Groose could get any less appealing, but I was gravely mistaken!" Zelda said, now kicking the door in addition to hitting it. "I always knew he was extreme, but I never imagined he would do something this outrageous!"

"I quite agree, Your Majesty!"

"Ugh, all this screaming is no use, Vilate. It's clear we're being ignored. I hate to say this, but I suspect there's been corruption." Zelda covered her face with her hands and began pacing in circles.

"Corruption? I'm not sure I understand."

"The guards have been turned against us—their loyalty now lies elsewhere. That's the only explanation."

"Well... perhaps," Vilate said unsurely.

Zelda's pacing was growing faster and faster, her mind whirling so quickly she could hardly keep control of it.

What was going on right now? Was Link still in the dungeon, or had he been removed for execution yet? Did her father know about any of this? Was he in danger too? What was Groose really up to?

Was Link going to be ok?

"I can't handle this, Vilate, I just can't!!" Zelda cried, and her hands started to shake.

"Stay calm, Your Majesty." Vilate took hold of her by the wrists, halting her circular pacing, and guided her to her bed. "Sit down, and I'll call for a nurse to—well, I can't do that. Um... just stay still and we will get this figured out. Someone will be up soon, I'm sure."

"Look, I really appreciate your optimism, but I'm afraid it isn't much help in this situation," Zelda said as she stood up to begin pacing again. "We need a way out. How about the window?"

They looked up at the window—it was about ten feet above the floor, and looked barely wide enough to allow an average-sized person to squeeze through.

"Whoever put that ridiculously small window all the way up there is the next person who will be hanged," Zelda muttered. She placed her hands on her hips and stared at it. Then she looked around at the things in her room and sighed. "This is going to be uncomfortable, but it might just work."

"Um... what might work?" Vilate wondered as Zelda walked over to her dresser and began pushing against it with her back.

"Help me move this!" she grunted, and Vilate scurried over to pull from the other side. "We need to line it up with the window!"

After several painfully slow minutes, the dresser was in place below the window. The dresser was only about three feet tall, but it was a good start.