The Hero, the Princess, and the Cursed King

Chapter 34: The Coronation

[Zelda]

Zelda tilted her head back, trying to stop the tears from falling and ruining her makeup.

"It'll be okay," Impa reassured.

Malon growled in frustration. "Stupid hair! Why won't it cooperate?"

"It's just hair; there's no need to cry about it. I'm sure it's not that bad." Impa crossed over to Malon, and silence filled the room.

"It is that bad, isn't it?" Zelda's lip trembled.

"No, it's, uh, fine." Impa's voice was high-pitched, and Zelda knew she was lying. "But just to be safe. Malon, would you go get Ganondorf?"

"On it!" She hurried from the room.

Zelda leaned forward, attempting to take deep breaths, but her corset was making it difficult. That was one thing she hated about the Hylian royal fashion; everything had to have a stupid corset. Zelda felt trapped by hers, and it seemed to be growing tighter and tighter, slowly crushing her.

"Don't worry, princess." Impa put a hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be okay."

"There are so many people out there. All with judgmental eyes." Zelda shuddered as she thought about leaving the privacy of the small royal tent set up for her to get ready in. It was only a short distance from rows upon rows of seating set up along the border of Hyrule and the Gerudo desert. They had also built a fancy stage, and it was there that an elderly priest would soon coronate her. Guests were already arriving, and their distant, soft chatter only made Zelda more nervous.

"No one can say anything negative about you, princess. You look just like a queen."

Zelda turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her dress was breathtaking. It had a full skirt of royal blue velvet that required layers of petticoats to achieve its impressive poof. The tight bodice showed off Zelda's curves and was intricately embroidered with the Hyrule family crest. They hadn't put her cape on yet, but it was made from similar fabric and had a ridiculously long train. But while her outfit was beautiful, Zelda was mainly inspecting her face. She'd never been one to wear makeup, but recently she'd been wearing a lot of it. Though it made her face more elegant and regal, Zelda hated it. This wasn't her. None of this was; Not the extravagant clothes, extreme makeup, or the heavy jewels they'd draped around her throat.

"I heard we had an emergency?" Ganondorf asked, walking into the room followed by Malon.

"Yes." Zelda gestured to her hair which was supposed to be in a complicated half-up style but was currently tangled in a bunch of knots.

"Yikes! That is an emergency." Ganondorf walked over and picked up a hairbrush. "You look stressed," He noted as he began brushing, braiding, and pinning her hair. Both Link and Ganondorf had grown up in a village of all girls, making them experts at doing hair. But while Link was good, Ganondorf was a master. He could fix any bad hair day.

"That's because I am." Zelda closed her eyes as he worked. "Within the next hour, I'll be Queen of Hyrule."

"Then I'll have to start calling you queen instead of princess," Impa said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Or you could call me Zelda."

"Zelda. Zeldaaa." Impa tried out her name and shrugged. "Maybe one day, princess, but it feels weird to say right now."

Ganondorf laughed. "Or you could give 'Zel' a try."

"No way. Zelda is already taking it too far!" Impa shuddered. "The disrespect."

Zelda burst into laughter, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.

"Stop moving!" Ganondorf gripped the sides of her head, but he wasn't mad. He was laughing too. "Malon, would you hold this piece here--perfect! Thank you."