Death By Princess {Complete}

CH 12

Zelda sits to the dining room table across from Gannondorf. Butlers and chefs are bustling around them as they do every meal time. They bring baskets of fruit, tea, freshly fried meat and toast. The smell of burnt meat and sweet oranges wafts across Zelda's noise and her stomach rumbles making her feel she like she is in the middle of Hyrule's Sea. She parts her lips slightly, opting to breathe through her mouth.

"This beats life in the desert," says Gannondorf loading up his plate.

"I bet it does," says Zelda as she daintily stirs her tea and using a pair of tongs, places several pieces of fruits and a half slice of toast on her plate.

Gannondorf watches her. "Is that all you're eating?" he says when she is done.

"It's all I can eat."

He frowns. "But I'm worried it's not enough to sustain my unborn child. Besides, I don't know if I believe it's morning sickness. You were always a little malnourished, even the first I laid my eyes on your naked and pale body."

Zelda winces at his bluntness. He continues, "I thought then that we might have trouble having a family should you stay as thin and frail but... I guess life is full of surprises."

"I guess so," she says sliding a strawberry on her plate with a fork.

Gannondorf watches her, growing more and more frustrated when she doesn't put the food into her mouth. He grabs a piece of meat and forcefully puts it on her plate.

"Eat!"

Startled, she looks at him, unsure if he is coming from a place of concern. The sternness in his face and the fact he isn't taking his eyes of her suggests he isn't going to settle to negotiate. She presses her fork into the sausage, juice dripping from where it was cut, and puts a bit size piece in her mouth, careful not to breath through her nose.

She swallows and pauses to see how her stomach reacts. The mix of metal and oil roils up to her mouth and she knows the food will soon follow. She cups her hand over her mouth and runs to the bathroom. With her head in the toilet, she vomits everything she has eaten the past couple of days. She lays down feeling the cool flooring on her clamy skin which helps sooth the nauseousness. When the wash of sickness passes, she slowly gets up using the vanity for support and splashes cool water over her face and hands.

"Couldn't keep it down?" says Gannondorf when Zelda returns to the breakfast table.

"I can't help it," she says.

He taps his finger on the table, something she has come to realize he does when he isn't satisfied with her response.

"Excuse me, Sir. I wanted to let you know that your meeting for this afternoon has been approved. We have arranged transportation which will be waiting outside the main entrance for your convenience."

"Very well," he says breaking his gaze from Zelda.

The guard doesn't leave. He has something to add but he is reluctant to do so.

"Can I help you?" says Gannondorf exhaling the words in one long sigh.

"One other thing. Queen Athena asked if she could attend the meeting with you as well."

"Why?" he snaps.

"She said she would like to know how the kingdom she once ruled is fairing."

"Right. Once ruled. She resigned her duties as Queen when she became ill. She has no business in knowing how the kingdom is ruled." He pushes his plate back and stands up. "The answer is no. Now leave," he says and the guard runs off.