I’d like to say I know what Link said to Vaati two days ago. This is my twenty-fifth day in Marcastle, and I’m therefore less than a week away from the final decision. In a sense, whatever my publicist does should in some way or other help me out. But I don’t know what Link charged Vaati of doing.

Impa and Rauru both assure me I’ve got a steady footing for the ministerial vote, but I’m not nearly that confident. Everything is getting rushed, with plenty of things to oversee. Tetra is so busy that I didn’t even see her for the past four days.

Sheik has been training me to stretch again. I am still sore and would like to mention that torture wasn’t part of the curriculum when I got onboard.

Malon, Anju and Ruto have been out sightseeing. I don’t blame them. With the coronation seven days away, and the vote just six days away, the palace staff has been pretty crazy and stressful. Besides, I’m always getting more lessons, so it’s not like they can hang out with me.

That’s so annoying, actually. You can train a girl like me to be a queen, but I’ll still want to shop with my friends at the end of the day. If being a queen means I can’t have fun anymore, then being a queen totally sucks.

In fairy tales, queens and princesses always have extra time to get kidnapped, rescued, wooed by handsome knights, maybe kick some baddy butt. But I tell you, being a royal isn’t at all what it’s cracked up to be.

First, my so-called knight has yet to slay the dragon ―Ganondorf Dragmire, of course, ― and is even farther away from kissing me or wooing me with tender words of love. Actually, considering how desperate I’m getting where my publicist is concerned, a simple and unromantic ‘Let’s get naked’ would certainly soothe my frazzled nerves.

Second, I’m not even a real princess, and I’m not sure to become a queen. That can certainly cause a certain amount of confusion in my story.

Hey, maybe that’s why my knight in shining armour hasn’t been slaying any dragons for me: I’m not a real princess! Well, bloody gods. This fine print is going to be the end of me.

What’s Link planning anyway? He’s up to something. You don’t have to be a big genius to figure it out: he’s been busy making calls all day yesterday, and I even saw him with a phone at his ear this morning.

Not that I’m jealous of the person on the other line, but I’d like to know what gets him so excited. He looks like something amazingly good and sneaky is about to occur, and, like any normal girl, I’m curious.

I risk a look inside his room, since the door is open. It rarely is, so this is a golden opportunity to figure him out. What’s he up to?

Link is sitting at his desk. He glances up from a notepad, the phone cradled between his shoulder and his ear. He’s been penning down a phone number, and laughing about something I can’t hear. He shoots me a winning grin, which completely throws me.

Oh, dammit. How can anyone stay suspicious of a guy like that?

I smile back thinly, waving weakly, then I continue on my way. I can’t seem too suspicious, after all. Whatever Link is doing, I can only hope, must be for my good.

I’m still curious about what role Vaati has to play in all this. I mean, for gods’ sake, he works for a gossip magazine. That’s shady enough from the start.

“Zelda!”

I turn when I hear Aryll’s voice. It’s been a while since I last saw her. I know she’s been busy enjoying her vacation, so I haven’t seen her much.

Today she’s wearing a faded shirt that says ‘Go numbskulls!’ which I assume is her way of encouraging sarcasm. Her massive grin contradicts this, however. There’s nothing sarcastic about the way she’s skipping over to me. It’s almost as though every shop in Hyrule simultaneously announced they’d begin an 80 per cent sale on every article available.

I can’t figure out what other event could possibly elicit such obvious enthusiasm from a teenage girl.

She shoots me a big smile and excitedly says, “I got good news and bad news!”

Oh, bloody damnation.

“The good news,” Aryll starts before I can get a word in, “is that you’re going to be onstage with the Indigo-Go’s in three days!” She breaks off into a squeal, grabs my arm and starts jumping like some insane fan, the kind of girl who actually terrifies me. When I respond with stunned silence and do not join her on her skipping trip, she then calms down and says, “The bad news is you have nothing to wear for the occasion.”

Oh joy.

“I can’t believe you’re—Zelda, why are you so gloomy?”

I stare at Aryll and weakly say, “How am I supposed to appear with the Indigo-Go’s? I don’t know how to sing.”

Aryll laughs. “It’s not to sing. It’s for your image. They’ll treat you like a guest of honour.”

I frown. “That’s very kind of them.”

Aryll furrows a brow and examines me suspiciously. “You don’t exactly seem elated. You don’t like the Indigo-Go’s?”

“As a matter of fact,” I say, all the while turning on my heel to head back towards Link’s office, “I adore the Indigo-Go’s. You might say they’re my favourite band. You might also say I’m pissed that no one ever told me I’d have to pull off a stunt of this magnitude beforehand.”

Aryll trails after me. She lets out a huff. “Well, it’s not like my brother hasn’t been extra busy trying to get you popular.”

I glance back at her. “He’s been laughing on the phone all morning. I fail to see how that is helping me.”

Aryll stops in her tracks and her eyes widen. There’s also the typical Forester grin on her lips. “You mean he didn’t tell you?” She grabs my arm again and giggles excitedly. “I thought you knew! There’s been a discovery yesterday of a hidden cache of odd mushrooms at Veran Black’s mansion!”

Odd mushrooms… “You mean the drugs?”

“The illegal hallucinogens,” Aryll says, with mirth-filled eyes. “The press has been having a field day.”

“How come no one told me about this?”

Aryll shrugs. “I thought you knew already.” She giggles. “Now Ganondorf Dragmire is completely embarrassed. To quote the Hyrule Times, the timing couldn’t be worse. Think about it,” she says conspiratorially. “His date has proven ties with illegal and immoral organisations. He’s been trying to control the flood of negative rumours coming out of the newsrooms since yesterday.”

It’s hard to stay in a foul mood with news like this.

“So Veran Black is…”

“A criminal!” Aryll whispers, trying to contain her excitement and look solemn, but failing miserably. “Ganondorf Dragmire tried to detach himself from her, but no one really believes him. While he can still claim ignorance, he lost a couple of feathers.”

This is wonderful news. But I still resent the fact that nobody ever tells me anything. We both reach Link’s door again, and I say, “Please excuse me, Aryll, but I need to speak to your brother in private.”

She frowns. “You look a bit frustrated.”

She has no idea.

“I’m fine, but this matter is very important to me.”

Aryll seems to understand vaguely. “Well, once you’re done, I’ll implore my brother to give you some time off tomorrow for some long overdue shopping downtown. You hardly had the time to visit the city, and it’d be a great occasion for you to hang out with your friends again.”

I grin. “That’s a great idea.”

She smiles. “I’m good at finding those. Now go in there and kick his butt.”

With that less-than-sisterly command, she leaves my side and goes back down the hall.

Well.

I enter Link’s room. Again, I feel like I’m invading his private haven, although he doesn’t seem to care who breaks into his room at any given time during the day. This should be alarming, but for some reason, it isn’t.

When he sees me, he puts his phone down. He’d been about to dial another number, but now he’s looking up interestedly. I have to remember why I’m here. How frustrating that he should look so guileless when I need to be mad at him.

“Zelda,” he greets with a handsome smile. When he sees my expression, though, it melts a little to turn into a slightly worried frown. “Are you alright?”

I let out a breath. I won’t lose my temper. I will calmly explain what upsets me. I won’t freak out.

“Link…” I motion to the chair. “Can I sit?”

He nods and motions with his hand, all traces of his smile gone, replaced instead by mild concern.

I’m not stalling. I just don’t think confrontation can be done appropriately when one person is sitting and the other is standing.

I begin carefully, “Aryll just told me about a certain concert with the Indigo-Go’s.”

He nods, apparently wondering what the problem is.

“I’d like to know why I was only notified of this three days ahead of the actual event, and by your sister no less. I would also like to know why no one bothered to tell me about Veran Black yesterday and about all the other events I was told about mere days before I had to deal with them. I’d like to know what other events are in store for me that I should be aware of.”

Link’s face dawns with embarrassed understanding.

He clears his throat and puts the phone he was holding on the desk surface carefully. “The reason I didn’t tell you about the concert is quite honestly because I thought it’d be a nice surprise for you. I didn’t think you’d consider it as something stressful, but rather as something fun. I apologize.”

Alright, that works for this once, but, “Why didn’t you tell me about all the other events before? And what else is there coming up?”

Link stretches an arm towards his palm pilot and switches it on. “I didn’t tell you about the previous events because I thought you couldn’t handle them.” Before I can let my annoyance show, he hastily adds, “I know better now. As for why I had yet to update you with the upcoming events, it’s because I’ve been mad busy.” He’s done searching for his schedule and planner.

I notice he’s taking me seriously. Nothing soothes me more.

“Here’s the drill,” he says, reading off his planner. “Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you some time off. I think Aryll has been stalking me for that, so I think you should hang out with your friends. You’ll need time to relax for the final sprint.”

I listen intently.

Link continues, “After tomorrow, you have an interview with Marjorie Majora. She’s an honest journalist, but she has a good reputation and won’t try to destroy you or find scandals ―at least, none that would be bad for you. The day after is the concert with the Indigo-Go’s on Market Square. It’ll be an outdoor stage and a crowd of at least two thousand people. I already finished scheduling security with Darunia, so we’re covered.”

He raises his gaze after a short pause. Our eyes meet.

“You’ll have a day with regular classes, and the next will be decision day, or D-Day, as Tetra has referred to it.”

That’s it? “That’s it? I don’t have any more events than that to turn the tables?”

Something akin to despair fills me slowly.

Link shuts his palm pilot off and reaches out to rub my upper arm comfortingly. “It’s not that bad. Actually, it’s better than you think.”

He turns to grab a wad of paper. Newspaper.

“Look at this.”

The front page is Ganondorf defending himself against claims that he’s fostering the underground. A side article describes the dreadful effects of odd mushrooms.

The corners of my lips quirk up in spite of me.

“In case you’ve been wondering,” Link teases, “I’ve been on the phone all day yesterday and today because polls say you’re now leading in terms of popularity. Not by a lot, of course, but since Ganondorf has been sitting on his laurels for the past month, without making very sincere efforts to become better liked, you’ve been steadily climbing, and he’s been far too stable for his comfort.”

I look up at Link’s handsome face. “I’m leading the race?” I can’t hide my incredulity. You’d be shocked too, I’m sure.

“We’re treading unsure grounds,” Link says, and I can’t help but admire how professional and comfortable he is about his job. “Our small advance might not be enough for you to gain momentum in the ministerial room, but it certainly can influence them. Still, the recent events couldn’t… ah, well, they couldn’t be better timed, really.”

I notice his formulation and his tiny grin.

He’s up to something. Or maybe he’s already made his move.

“You didn’t have anything to do with all this, did you?” I ask, because it seems like a reasonable question. Link has already proven he’s a master in the sneakiness department.

He holds back a broader smile. “Zelda, just because I paid Vaati Winders to do some investigations doesn’t mean I had a part to play in this story.”

“I can’t believe you had him do something like that.”

Link’s expression darkens just a little. “Well, it’s not like the little bugger didn’t deserve some amount of punishment. He did interrupt one of our lessons.”

I scoff. “Some lesson it was. We both got smashed and―” And Link had been about to suggest kissing, at least, if not more.

Ah, bugger. Vaati Winders really did deserve to risk his career, on second thought.

“I’ve been thinking,” Link says, dragging me out of my brooding mood, “we should get mildly inebriated again. It was fun.”

“It was only fun because we’re such lightweights that we got the effects without even risking a hangover,” I comment.

Link snickers to himself. “The truth of that statement is beyond embarrassing.” Before I can add insult to injury, he casually changes the subject back to more important things, such as, “I don’t know if I should get your hopes up just yet, but there’s a chance that, with Veran Black under such close scrutiny, the public eye will turn to examine Onox Gorgon and Agahnim Veils, seeing as they are also close acquaintances of Ganondorf Dragmire. If that could actually happen, then we’d probably be rid of the two cretins as well.”

“What are the odds of that happening?” I ask.

Link shrugs, but his smile doesn’t look nearly that clueless. “Pretty high.”

“And they also grow odd mushrooms in their backyards?”

“I wouldn’t wager on odd mushrooms,” Link says, returning to a careful and diplomatic expressionless face. “But I might bet on illegal weapon trade and prostitution.”

“No kidding,” I mumble. “Not, of course, that you’ve been investigating them for the past week, of course.”

Because, actually, something tells me Link has been planning this for a good while.

He laughs. “You enjoy making assumptions, hm?” He puts his hands on his armrests to push himself up.

I watch him as he stands. “Who said they’re assumptions? I’d have to be stupid not to see what sort of help you’ve been giving me from the shadows.”

“It’s my job,” Link says, stretching his legs and arms. “And I categorically deny any involvement with yesterday’s front page. Or any front page to come that does not directly involve you.”

There’s a silence. That’s when I wonder, out loud, “Who hired you?” Because I really have to wonder. What kind of genius possibly could think of requesting Link’s help? Whoever they are, they deserve eternal recognition.

I notice Link doesn’t even look at me. I wonder if he heard me.

“Link, who ―?”

“Rauru.”

“Rauru?”

Link turns to look at me. “He knew Ganondorf Dragmire and needed a way to keep him from taking the full power without at least someone to oppose him. He hired me to find someone. You know the rest.”

“So… The government is paying for you? I mean, since Rauru―”

Link laughs. “Don’t worry about it, Zelda. Rauru and I are working by contract. It’s illegal to use government money to pay for an individual’s services, unless they’re directly employed by the state and have no other profession. He made a deal with my company… It’s all paperwork.”

As though he doesn’t really care for the conversation we’re having, he just crosses his arms, grabs his button-down shirt and pulls it over his head in one smooth motion.

Whoa.

Under his work shirt, he’s wearing a tight white t-shirt. I could drool and swoon, or I could squeak and wonder why he suddenly discarded his shirt. Though he has hinted he would like to get drunk with me again, it’s not like he exactly suggested we get down and dirty.

Not, as you can most certainly guess, that I would mind.

As though he just remembered I’m there, he turns to look back at me apologetically. “Sorry. It’s just that this shirt is a bit too warm. Summer’s right around the corner and the air conditioning has to be fixed.”

“No problem,” I say, trying not to squeak.

“So,” he asks as he rummages through a chest of drawers, “how did you like the photo shoot with Din, Farore and Nayru?”

I shrug. “You were there.”

Link snickers. It strikes me that he’s lightened up since I first met him. He used to be so cool and professional. Now he’s hot and professional. “I was there,” he says, “but I noticed you were discussing a few things with them and making sure I couldn’t overhear you.”

Yes Link, that’s because a discussion about how I want to jump your bones is the last thing I want you to hear.

“Oh, there’s nothing major,” I say instead. “I asked for their autographs. To thank Ralph.”

Link furrows a brow. “Thank Ralph? For what?”

Good question. Oh, I don’t know, maybe for keeping me around so I can enjoy the job of my life? Maybe for holding me back when I wanted to leave behind the hottest man alive? He deserves the tiniest thanks at least.

“Well, he—”

The phone interrupts me. It sounds shrilly on Link’s desk, and he shoots me an apologetic look, picking it up with some annoyance. Something tells me he’d rather hear my explanation than talk on the phone.

“Link Forester. Speak up, it’s your blink.”

I can’t help but grin at that a little. Leave it to Link to issue warnings to pranksters.

There’s a moment of silence, and then Link’s face breaks into a smirk. He glances at me and winks. I remind myself not to blush.

“Right,” he says into the phone. “As long as the Times are on it, we’re fine.” There’s a pause, and then Link laughs. “That’s even better… Right… Hey, don’t tell me how to do my job.” Who’s he talking to? “Din-dammit, Vaati, I’m not going to hire you,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “Stop asking… No, I’m not going to take any volunteers. I have enough things to oversee as it is… Yes, I—What the? … No.”

Link glances at me and turns his eyes to the ceiling helplessly, as though pleading with the goddesses to help him. It seems Vaati has been harassing him since he found out Link is a publicist.

He probably is looking for a good article to write about palace life.

“Look, Vaati, I have other things to do. Thanks for the heads up, but― No, I don’t.” He sighs. “Don’t you have some other poor sucker to stalk?”

I giggle, and I notice movement at the door. Aryll is back. She seems relieved that her brother is still in one piece and that I didn’t rip him to bits. Hesitantly, she steps in, motioning towards Link and mouthing, to me, “You okay with him?”

I smile. The rule of thumb with Link is to be honest and to speak up. Apparently, Aryll seems relieved that I figured this out on my own.

“And has he showed any inclination to let you roam Marcastle in a relatively free way?” She asks in a low whisper, in order not to bother her brother whose argument on the phone is getting him annoyed.

Actually, at the moment, he’s ranting to Vaati Winders about not allowing gossip magazines to interview his charge. I don’t know whether I should feel stumped that he refers to me as a job or glad that I’m his priority.

Aryll, though, seems impressed. She observes her brother with a little grin.

To me, she says, “I rarely saw Link get so riled up about his jobs.”

“Have you been watching him often?” I ask.

Aryll shrugs, smiling simply. “Before he moved to Marcastle, he would sometimes do business at home.” She looks fondly at her brother without seeming concerned that he looks ready to unplug the phone maniacally. “This is the first time he gets directly involved in everything related to his charge. Usually, he just oversees interviews and public appearances.”

“Like a press attaché.”

Aryll nods. Before she can add another word, Link hangs up the phone with a strained sigh. Our attention turns to him. He seems to gather his wits, and then he shoots us both a smile, though I have the feeling he directs it more at me.

“Onox Gorgon and Agahnim Veils have been tracked and revealed.”

What? That fast?

My shock seems to amuse Link. His grin broadens. “By some uncanny twist of fate,” a sentence that roughly translates to ‘I asked Vaati to do some snooping’, “Agahnim Veils was proven to have committed financial fraud in a number of instances, which unfortunately constitutes a severe crime. The judgement will be consequential. As for Onox Gorgon, forgive my choice of words, but he was stupid enough to head directly into a whorehouse late last night. The whorehouse is actually title deed to his name.” He looks at the ceiling and loudly wonders, “Is there no end to idiocy?”

“Apparently not,” Aryll mumbles, looking clearly disgusted.

“Maybe Ganondorf Dragmire forgot to warn him not to reveal himself,” I venture. All the while, I’m looking at Link and wondering where he got that brain of his.

Seriously. I know I wouldn’t have thought of using gossip magazines, which until now have been doing nothing but harm to me, against my enemies. Besides, it’s so indirect, no one will trace back to us.

The intelligence it takes to realise how much of a weapon written word can be is entirely Link’s.

And now that only Ganondorf is left in the race, I feel like my chances have never been higher. All thanks to Link.

I really should start thinking about a way to thank him. One that doesn’t involve my mouth on his, I mean, even though it’s the only solution that comes to mind and my brain keeps going ‘Yes, please, pretty please!’

I should find something tomorrow when I go shopping.

Wait. I have to call Malon, Anju and Ruto! For sure they’ll want to come with me.

Link turns to me when I start heading for the door. “Oh, by the way, we’re going to get visitors tomorrow from Termina. I already met them before, so don’t worry about them being mean.”

I nod. “Um… But what about shopping?” I don’t mean to sound this desperate for a day out, but Link just laughs.

“You can take them along. I’m sure you’ll enjoy their company.”

Uh… Okay. Let’s hope he knows what he’s talking about…

Gods, who am I kidding? He always does.