Grief and Console [Zelda]

The funeral had been beautiful, though Percy couldn't stay long. He only had enough time to visit, stay for the ceremony and reception, and then leave. He only got to say a few spare words with Zelda, and he knew she would need her space. That's why he had decided to come visit, now that everything has been calm. It had been a few weeks since his death, and he had written to Zelda, asking if now would be an appropriate time to come to Hyrule and visit. She said it'd be more appropriate now.

Arriving on horse, Percy rode slowly through the city with a few guards at his sides. While plenty of the civilians seemed to catch a glimpse of him, knowing who he was, he thankfully did not draw much attention due to his hood over his face. He didn't feel like making a royal entrance - he was here on his own accord to comfort the Princess. And while, yes, he was in love with her, he respected her feelings and knew when it was appropriate to act on his own. He knew that she belonged to another. He had heard the legends of the hero and the goddess.

Perhaps that was why he felt such a strong aura when he had first met her. At first he had assumed that he was simply attracted to her grace and beauty, but there was something much deeper than that. Once he had started to read more about the legendary cycle... especially more so now that Zelda has expressed worry from her nightmares and with the coming darkness, it all made sense to him. She was the reincarnated Goddess looking for her hero. This was why they could never be together.

As he arrived to the Castle, the guards had opened the doors and he had dismounted his horse as it was led to the stables by one of the servants. As he then entered the main chamber room, he was told to wait patiently by one of the Sheikah guards who would immediately call for Zelda to come down.

Zelda had been sitting at a long table in one of the council meeting rooms, reading over some books to pass time. Ever since her father had passed on, she had been attempting to distract herself from the sorrow, rather unsuccessfully. The timing of his death could not be anymore inconvenient. She had just had the vision of a wave of darkness towering over Hyrule and when she had come to her father about it, he dismissed it, as he usually did... and then he got sick.

It was so surreal - it started out as a simple cold and suddenly developed into a deadly disease that quickly spread throughout his body. She really couldn't make much sense of it... it almost seemed as though it were suspicious. Things like this didn't just happen, and as of yet, there were no reports of any other deaths of a similar nature. Until then, she was convinced he had been poisoned or cursed, and this dreaded her. Something was coming.

When an adviser had suddenly peered through the doorway, they cleared their throat to catch her attention as she looked up. "Excuse me, your majesty," they had spoken. "Prince Perseus of Labrynna is here to see you." A breath of relief escaped Zelda's breath as she nodded very slightly. "Please send him in... and close the door upon his arrival. I wish for us to only speak in private." The adviser nodded, closing the door behind her as she had then headed back to the main chamber room.

Perseus waited patiently, the sound of the large clock that towered over the entrance ticking being the only noise in the large, empty hall. Taking a deep breath, Percy started to feel the nerves get to him. He was overthinking this... but now his father was demanding that the marriage take place before the Coronation. Before he could withdraw deep into his mind though, he heard the sound of one of the large doors leading to the rest of the castle creek open as he abruptly looked up.

"Your Majesty may see you. It is the first door on the left. She has requested your presence alone." Alone? Perseus raised a brow. She never requested something like this. Sure they had managed to have conversation together in each other's company alone in the past, but it was never requested. Nodding, Percy stepped up and headed through the door, taking the first left and entering the room.

The hall was rather large with a very decorative wooden table in the center, chairs all around it. Closing the door behind him quietly, he could see Zelda was sitting down at the end across the room. She had been looking down as if deep in thought, and Percy immediately cleared his throat gently to catch her attention as he stepped toward her. "M'lady, I've come to accompany you in your time of loss to make sure you're okay."

Looking up and seeing a familiar face in the doorway, Zelda immediately stood up from her seat, watching him as he slowly approached her. When he spoke, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Yes, he had attended the funeral, but he wasn't able to stay for much else. As soon as it had ended, the nobles of other countries were required to leave the area so that they could properly close down the castle for the night with his burial.

"Percy..." she looked down, almost embarrassed that she had allowed someone to see her in such a moment of weakness. As he stood in front of her, she was silent for a long moment, unsure of what to even say. She was still in shock, not sure what to say or do.... but she was breaking. It was piling up, and Percy was really the only person she felt comfortable being this way around. She could afford to let her guard down, just for a moment.

Without a word, she swept forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she buried her face into his shoulder, shaking uncontrollably as she tried to stop herself from crying. She refused. She couldn't let anyone see her in such pain because she was the princess. She had to be strong for everyone, despite losing her father. "I-I'm sorry, I just..."

Percy was rather caught off guard when Zelda had suddenly buried herself into him. When her arms had wrapped around him, pulling him in, he just stood there for a moment in shock, looking down at her without moving. Blinking a few times, he could hear her trying her hardest to keep control over her emotions, but from the shaking and the struggle in her voice, he could tell that it wouldn't hold for too long.

She apologized, something she really didn't need to do. Frowning, Percy slowly wrapped one arm around her waist, the other moving to the back of her head to stroke her hair gently as he closed his eyes. "You don't need to apologize. You just lost your father, you have every right to be upset... and I'm sure you haven't even gotten the chance to properly get closure." he murmured softly.

There was a thickness in the back of his throat as he let out a calm breath. The knot in his stomach was getting a bit larger again. Ugh, these were such petty, selfish feelings, and it disgusted him that they were even on his mind right now. His feelings for her would have to wait - she was in sorrow and that's all that mattered right now. "It's okay to let it all out, I'm here."

Feeling Percy's grip around her waist, and the gentle touch of his palm to the back of her head, she eased a bit, almost slumping into him as she rested her weight into his balance. She sniffled lightly, still trying not to cry. She knew that Percy wouldn't judge her, but it still didn't sit right with her. She wasn't even okay with letting herself cry when she was alone. She always felt the need to be calm and collected at all times.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to see me like this," she huffed. "There's so much going on, and just after my father died it got so much worse." She wasn't really even sure where to start. "I had a vision, Percy. I know it runs in the family, but... I never imagined it would be so intense. It almost was like I was there." she began, the images reappearing in her head.

"I've told you about the cycle before, haven't I? I know that in Labrynna, things are a bit different and the affairs of the Triforce aren't exactly... celebrated, but... you do know about it don't you? Legend or not," she looked up at him, almost desperately.