"zelda" A small light flickers in the dark distance.
"Zelda" The light grows and grasps a little farther in the bleak, dark horizon.
"Zelda!" A familiar voice pleads as the light now consumes the darkness. It was a memory too familiar.
Zelda woke up in a cold sweat, digging out of her covers for a breath. It was now the morning of her seventeenth birthday. The last two weeks were somewhat of a blur for her as she went upon her days monotonously. Now the day had finally arrived and she couldn't have hated it any more.
Normally, Zelda did most of her makeup and changing by herself. However, her father really pushed for the handmaidens to do all the work for her in hopes for her to catch the eye of an eligible suitor. She sat down and listened to all her handmaidens' instructions as they prepared her for the day. Much to her content, they kept the look mostly true to herself. She wore a dark blue gown with long bell sleeves with intricate detailing on the bodice and skirt. Her hair was put in her usual style with two braids wrapped around her head while the rest of her blonde hair ran down to her back. Fortunately, the handmaidens did not cake on the white powder as they usually did for the nobility.
"Let's go Link," Zelda sighed, finally walking out of her room. Her handmaidens had all run off to their own attendants to prepare them for the biggest celebration Hyrule had seen since Zelda's birth. All parts of Hyrule, outside of the castle, would all host their own celebrations in the form of parades and parties.
Zelda and Link continued along the once silent hallway. The castle staff had been preparing all morning for her birthday party and Zelda had to look over all the little details so her guests could truly enjoy the event. The once empty hallways, only colored in red and gold, were decorated with banners and ribbons that were light blue with minature triforce insignias to represent the royal family. Continuing down the hall, Zelda was greeted with the expected "Happy Birthday" from the staff and curt curtsies and bows from her attendants. Amidst all of the work, she was hoping to see Impa but she had to arrange the festivities going on Kakariko village. Despite the crowded hallways, Zelda truly felt alone.
Finally, Zelda and Link made it to the King's room right before the ball had started. She could already hear bundles of voices coming from the dining hall just a few meters away from her father's room. The talking. The music. The laughter. The sounds shook her and left her trembling.
Zelda did not want the rest of her life decided by the events of today, her own seventeenth birthday. She knew she wasn't going to fall in love with someone her eyes lock with in the dance floor. Zelda didn't believed in love at first sight. But her father would just force her to marry someone like Groose if she didn't. She would be forced to marry them in a year and still be confined within the castle walls like she had been for the entirety of her life so far. Then, they would be wed. Zelda would still be stuck in her study being forced to figure out negotiations with nations for the rest of her life while her husband would take all of the credit. Maybe if she groveled hard enough at her father's feet, maybe he'd let her wait to be engaged next year, next month, next week? If marriage was her only purpose, then let her decide naturally.
"Happy birthday Zelda." King Rhoam turned to Zelda with a smile. "I hope you enjoy today's festivities."
"Thank you father." Zelda forced a smile in return.
"Don't forget what you have to do tonight." His line froze her right in her tracks. Her fists curled violently to the point were her nails dug deep wels in her palms. Her spirit grasped as much courage as she could get to say...
"But why tonight? Why couldn't we have waited until my eighteenth birthday? Or maybe later. Or never. I don't want to get married" Zelda cried, but her words could not escape her lips.
