Death By Princess {Complete}

CH 10

"So how long do you think it will take to get out of Hyrule?" says Lillian as she packs up her belongings. It's the first words she spoke since they woke up.

Link is sitting on a tree stump. He was awake and ready to go before Lillian woke. He shrugs and says, "I don't know. Hopefully not much longer as long as we can actually get going."

This morning marks their fifth day of travel and it's been relatively stable and consistent. Travel by day, sleep by night. They haven't stopped to any villages or towns in Hyrule. Link fears that Gannondorf could be on a serious hunt for him so it would be better to make his presence minimal so few people know of his whereabouts.

Lillian has been quiet since they left which is unusual for her too. It's like she is delicately walking around Link, being extra cautious over her words and actions to ensure he doesn't send her back home. And being cautious over anything is very unlike Lillian. But the further from Koraria they get, the more she becomes her old self. She knows Link wouldn't send her home alone anyways.

"I'm really excited," she says when they get back on Hyrule Trail. "All I have seen is our village, some of the fields and the Royal Grounds. I wonder what's beyond Hyrule."

Link looks up at the mountain they are approaching. "The Cold Mines," he says.

"Sorry?"

"Heading in this direction will lead us to the Cold Mines."

"I didn't know you knew," says Lillian pouting that Link kept this information to himself.

"Royalty deals with outside communities and towns outside Hyrule. It's important for knights to have broad geographical knowledge. We never really knew where our duty would take us. I have never been but I have met some people from the Cold Mines. Maybe if I was able to stay as a knight I would have experienced life outside of Hyrule," he says but his words trails off into his thoughts.

"I bet you caught wind of a lot of little secrets in that castle," says Lillian pulling him out of his fantasy.

Link playfully glares at her through the corner of his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," he says as he begins to whistle, enticing her.

She runs by his side and pokes his ribs. He flinches and gently pushes her away. "Come on, you know I love juicy gossip. Share the details."

Link holds the straps of his backpack that's bobbing on his back. "I may not be the castle's knight anymore but I am still a professional man. I would never talk about the time I witnessed the Queen having an affair," says Link then he quickly puts his hand over his mouth, pretending to have said too much.

"No way!" says Lillian, her wide eyes revealing more white than usual. "The Queen didn't have an affair."

"Alright," says Link, shrugging. "She didn't."

"Nope, that doesn't work for me. How did you come to find this out?"

"Promise you won't say anything?" says Link.

She narrows her eyes. "Who the hell am I going to tell?"

"Promise anyways," he says extending his hand.

"Fine. I promise," says Lillian shaking on it.

"Right. So this was a couple years ago. I had already seen the King off to an out-of-castle meeting. When I was doing my nightly rounds, I saw the Queen poke her head out of her room and look around. I stayed still, not wanting to be seen as I had suspicions she was up to something but I didn't want to get involved. Then she opened the door and a man walks out and one thing is for certain, it sure as hell wasn't the King."