Zelink Short Stories - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

The mission is easy enough: dress up as a sexy son of a bitch and collect information for my court. With the impending transition of the crown, the rumors have grown thick. The princess is unmarried and each court, seelie and unseelie, claim to have suitors earning her affection. Useful ties may be snipped depending on who she marries. I have to determine who the real suitors are by whatever means necessary. Unfortunately for them, I may have to pay them a visit following tonight.
The structured fabric around my torso tightens uncomfortably and I glare at Impa. "I'd like to breathe."
"Don't be dramatic." She tightens the laces again on the vest corset I was provided for the night. Our outfits had to be dramatic enough for the masquerade ball and it's safe to say I've never been so overly dressed before. My vest is black with gold accents and there's no jacket with it; only a black undershirt with a black tie. Impa is wearing a black and gold dress as well with a mermaid figure and long sleeves that hold up the plunging neckline. The only slight variation in color I get is a wolf mask with hints of red edging the gold and matte black. We'd stand out if we wore anything plainer.
"Says the woman without a corset." Why I was given one is a mystery. A good looking mystery but a mystery nonetheless.
"Can't scare the men with the possibility they won't get it off." She yanks one more time, squeezing my stomach more than I'd like before tying the end and hiding the strings. Her job is to find out if the king has been sneaking behind our backs and forming alliances with our enemies and his advisors is the quickest way to that precious information. Using people isn't a pretty business but nothing is fair and we live in an endless cycle of revenge and betrayal.
"It's easy if you just rip it," I say, attempting to take a deep breath under my constricting clothes. I'd hate to have to fight tonight in this.
"Not everyone is an animal like you."
"That's fair." I adjust my tie in the mirror and smooth out nonexistent wrinkles.
"Do us all a favor and don't tear off any corsets tonight."
"I can't make any promises."
"You were almost poisoned last time." I smirk at her attempt to fill me with common sense.
"I poison myself regularly; I would've been fine even if I was stupid enough to drink the wine she offered me." Mithridatism is a common practice among spies. It helps prevent any unfortunate deaths involving snippy targets in possession of poison.
"Sometimes I worry you are stupid enough."
"Ouch." Not that I can't see her point. I've had my moments.
I hide a couple knives in my clothes in the chance I'll need them. I tuck a handkerchief that was previously soaked in sleeping draught in my pocket. Usually I reserve it for kidnappings and silent murders but seeing as I'm not supposed to kill or kidnap anyone tonight, I'll use it if I get into a tight situation.
"Ready to go?" Impa says, holding out my wolf mask. She already has hers on, covering half her face in shiny gold to match her dress.
"Obviously darling." She flashes the dagger on her thigh. She hates my nicknames and doesn't appreciate the humor behind them. She's more a nightmare than a darling.
"I could easily say you were captured and killed." As much as she wants to stab me, she never would.
"Suck it up, sweetheart."
The ball has already been going on for a couple hours by the time we arrive and it's nowhere near ending. It saves us some trouble if we wait for them to get drunk and by the looks of it, almost every guest is altered. The beautiful creatures dance and drink, relishing in the careless hours. They're all oblivious, blissfully ignorant to what's happening around them. They would let a pickpocket steal their most precious gem and they wouldn't know until tomorrow afternoon. They have no knowledge of who is plotting their betrayal next; their only concern being how soon they can get their next drink. It's entertaining to say the least, watching these nights unfold.
"Don't get too distracted," Impa says as she scans the room. "I don't want to be here long."
"Eager to go back to our boring lives?"
"I wouldn't call our lives boring." It can get boring, sitting around until we get another mission. We live in secrecy without any interactions except for other members. She's lying if she says she's not tired of seeing my face.
I grab a drink off a passing tray carried by an imp and down it in one gulp before replacing the glass. "What are you doing?"
"Fitting in." I grin at her scowl which is only visible through her uncovered eyes. I'd love it if she learned it's possible to be serious on the inside but not on the outside. "If you'll excuse me, I have a beautiful woman to find."
We head in opposite directions, making our way through the masked dancers. Having to turn my head to weed out the partygoers is only slightly annoying. My mask limits my sight, forcing me to give each woman more attention than necessary though it's easy to exclude them based on colors alone. The woman I'm looking for is pale and blonde; convenient enough for me. Anyone blue with flowers for hair only needs a glance before I move on.
I feel slender fingers slip into my pocket, the same pocket containing a jeweled dagger. I grab the thief's wrist and drag the small zora in front of me. He stares at me with wide eyes under his mask and I click my tongue.
"By the look on your face, I assume you know the punishments for a pickpocket," I say. His eyes widen even further at the possibility of losing a finger or even his entire hand.
"I'm sorry-"
"Sorry doesn't mean anything." He tries to pull away but I keep my grip firm. "What's your name?"
"Tumbo," he says, his voice shaky.
"Well Tumbo, you should consider yourself lucky that I don't feel like cutting off appendages at the moment. And I do need something. Do you know where the princess is?" He nods hurriedly and points across the room to a more densely packed corner I haven't searched yet. "If I catch you attempting to steal from me again, I will keep your hand as a prize. Understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Off you go." He scurries away the moment I release his wrist. If you're going to steal, at least be good enough to not get caught.
Straightening my vest, I head in the direction he pointed me in. I down another glass of bubbly alcohol before fitting my way into the crowd. It consists of men and women groping each other more than dancing. Various creatures grab at me as well, one particular pixie reaching for my crotch and squealing in delight after she had. I move on as threatening her would likely only make her swoon. Several more guests attempt to pull me into a dance before I make it to the center where she is, dancing with a man alongside other couples. I doubt she's having a good time based on her forced smile.
Her sparkling blue dress flows around her when she spins, reflecting the light in the ballroom. I slip in, catching her before her partner can. I feel his glare and pay no attention to it. Her eyes narrow at the sight of her new dance partner.
"Who are you?" she says. She follows my lead without having any trouble, gracefully matching my steps.
"An interested party." My lips tug into a smile on their own. I've never been this close to her before and she's simply beautiful. The top half of her face is covered with a blue mask matching her dress. It has flowers lining the top and gold rimming the cut outs for her eyes.
"You interrupted my dance."
"I'd like to think I'm improving it." I'm enchanted by her ears next. They only have a slight point unlike me and everyone else here. My smirk widens when they turn a light shade of red.
"It's rude to stare," she snaps.
"I've just never met a human before." Somewhat of a lie. I've never met such a beautiful human before.
"Half human," she corrects me, her eyes still narrowed. Her late mother was a human. It's safe to say some individuals weren't entirely with the idea of a human being queen. Quite an unfortunate story actually.
I pull her closer when the song changes, gripping her hip to prevent anyone from pulling the same stunt I had to dance with her. "Still human." The other guests back up as I take more space to dance with her. I swing her out to my side with one hand, pulling her back and spinning her before pressing her body against mine again.
"What is it you want?"
"A dance."
"In my experience, men seek more than just a dance." This may be more difficult than I anticipated. I didn't want to, but I may have to find her room in order to get what I need. I can already hear Impa complaining about how long I took.
"Do you have a lot of experience with men then?" Her cheeks match her red human ears now.
"Not particularly..."
"Surely you have suitors lining up to meet you. Are none of them interesting?"
Her body tenses after my question. Seems like the future queen isn't ready for marriage yet. "Why do you care?"
My smirk is hidden under the mask's long snout. "I wanted to know what my chances were."
"Slim," she says with narrowed eyes.
"I can work with slim." I spin her again, her hair and dress filling the space around us while the guests who had been dancing gawk at us. I'm not the only one enthralled by her beauty.
I hold her with one arm under her back and tilt her into a low dip. The slit in her dress falls open when she bends her knee and I hold onto her soft thigh. Her chest heaves as her eyes show a conflicted mixture of admiration and annoyance. I rake my gaze down her body, enjoying the off shoulder straps on her dress that leaves enough to the imagination. Her fingers inch near her hip and out of curiosity, I drag my hand up until I land on the leather strap hiding a dagger under her dress.
I click my tongue. "What's this, sweetheart?"
"Something I'm not afraid to use." She's a snippy one isn't she?
"That's alright love," I say, tilting my head enough to flash my fangs under my mask. "I bite too."
Her green eyes widen in fear. "You...You're a werewolf."
"Shapeshifter actually. I can control it." It's not something I enjoy putting myself through; it's extremely painful and the taste of warm blood is too hard to resist. "I'm not going to hurt you," I say in an attempt to calm her fear. I'd be lying if I said that was the reaction I was expecting. I've had women ask me to bite them. Men too on occasion.
"Let me up," she demands. She lost the snippy tone she had earlier, replacing it with a shakiness that almost makes me feel bad.
I do as she asks and she hurries away, pushing through the crowd. Onto the next plan of finding her room, assuming that's not where she's escaping to. Just before I can make my way out of this circle around me, a firm hand grabs my shoulder and attempts to turn me around. I turn around on my own and look at the man whose dance I stole.
"What did you do to her?" he says. His hand is ready to reach the knife on his belt he didn't bother to hide.
"Nothing." I turn back, the guests moving out of my way. "If you'll excuse me-"
He grabs my shoulder again and I lose my temper for a moment, giving him a guttural snarl with full view of my fangs that makes everyone gasp and jump back. I even surprised myself. It might as well have come from the depths of Hell.
"Touch me again and I'll rip out your throat," I promise to the shaking redhead. His knife clatters to the floor and I watch him piss himself, the green fabric at his crotch turning a darker shade. I once again turn to leave and the creatures scramble out of my way. They gape at me in either fear or astonishment as I stride by, adjusting my vest which was slightly misplaced from dancing.
I catch sight of Impa while searching for a less guarded exit. She drags a heavy finger down an obviously intoxicated man's chest who I assume is an advisor to the King. He looks ready to tell her everything she asks if he hasn't already. She has a way with charming men and women-intoxicated or not-that seems to make them fall in love with her at the exact moment she decides. I leave regrets; she leaves broken hearts.
I find a staircase at the back with only one guard. He looks to be a troll with his toothy underbite and green skin. An abnormally small one at that. He only notices me when I've almost walked past him completely.
"Guests are not allowed into other parts of the castle," he says, blocking my path with his stout body.
"I'm meeting someone."
"Who?"
I dip into a bit of magic, smelling the sickly sweet glamour as it wraps around us. It won't have the same effect as if I used it on a human but it'll distort his thoughts enough to let me pass without much argument. "The princess," I say, my voice smoother than usual. "She said she wanted to show me something."
He blinks several times and shifts his weight. "I...I wasn't informed of this."
"No I doubt you would be. My guess is to prevent any jealousy." He nods a little, his gaze falling to the floor. I pat his shoulder. "You look like you could use a drink."
"Right," he gruffs, stepping out of my way and towards the party. I'm sure some of those faeries or pixies are desperate enough to consider him. He does seem to be a nice fellow after all.
I climb the stairs and choose a hall to navigate. The castle is a maze with walls in earthy tones and hints of wealth. Gorgeous and impractical. I curse to myself when I come to another intersection, each direction promising more wasted time. That is until I spot a servant carrying what looks to be fabric for dresses. Dresses a princess would wear.
I catch up to her quickly, deciding how to best get the answer out of her. She has pure white hair similar to Impa's and she walks quickly like a nervous bird. I'll keep my fangs hidden.
"Excuse me," I say, getting her attention. She jumps and glows bright red when she sees me. "Can you help me?"
"W-with what," she stutters. I take a step closer and she backs up into a wall, yelping and almost dropping the pile of neatly folded fabrics. I'm not sure if I heard her mutter an apology or if I imagined it.
"I need to find the princess's room." I rest my arm above her on the wall, leaning over her. "It's a bit of a maze in here and I'd hate to keep her waiting."
"The...the princess's room?" I nod. "I can't-I'm not supposed to tell people where that is..." Shit.
"You see, she invited me but forgot to tell me how to get there and I was hoping you'd help me."
She looks down each end of the hallway. "Um...I'm sorry...I really can't-" I use my glamour again, lowering my voice to a deep seductive tone I wouldn't be able to achieve without magic.
"I don't want to disappoint her." I fiddle with the sleeve of her dress and she shudders. "I won't say it was you who pointed me in the right direction if that's what you're worried about."
"It's...I don't..." I tilt her chin up with my finger. "O-oh."
"Please?"
She folds, giving in to the sweet glamour and my fake pleading. "Up the stairs at the end of this hall and to the left. Her door is carved with blue flowers."
"Thanks darling," I say, staring at her full lips. "Maybe you can join us next time."
She giggles a little and bats her lashes. "Okay."
I leave her flustered against the wall and head to the almost hidden winding staircase. Vines decorate the narrow walls and it smells like freshly bloomed flowers in rain. I notice blue flowers dotting the vines winding around the old bricks, the same ones that lined her mask.
The hallway has even more vines and flowers, most hanging from the ceiling. I can only think of how much easier this could've been if I'd known she was obsessed with these flowers.
My search for her door is interrupted when I hear the light footsteps of someone trying to sneak up on me. I smell her through the flower's perfume. I let her think I haven't noticed. I want to know what she's up to.
I smirk when she shoves me against the wall, holding her cold blade to my throat. She yanks off my mask next and flinches when I flash my teeth again, letting out a low growl.
"Don't try to intimidate me," she warns, pushing her dagger hard enough to make a small cut. I smell the blood without feeling the sting. It's almost enough to make me drool like a dog.
"If you think I'm trying to intimidate you, then you know nothing about wolves." I fail to suppress another growl but I'm hardly trying.
She scoffs, shaking her head to regain her composure. "Who are you?"
"I already told you, sweetheart. Is this what you do to every man who finds you beautiful?"
"Most aren't shapeshifters and they don't sneak up to my room. Why are you here anyway?"
"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to apologize for scaring you earlier?"
"You didn't scare me," she hisses, drawing more blood.
"Don't lie. I could smell it on you then and I can smell it on you now." Her eyes betray her and show her surprise for a split second. "Did you think that just because I'm in this form that I'm not an animal?" I growl again, the sound coming out rougher than before. She smells like honey and the flowers she's surrounded by, the scent mixing with my blood and her fear. I'm not used to feeling true desire like this. I suppress my need before I start something I won't be able to stop.
"I don't care." But she does. She's afraid even if she doesn't want to be. "What is it you want? To kill me?"
I let out a short laugh. "If I was here to kill you, you'd be dead already." Another wave of fresh fear like prey trapped in the teeth of a predator.
"So you're an assassin?"
"I don't have to be an assassin to be a killer." She readjusts her grip on her dagger. I smell the sweat making it slip in her fingers. "Realizing that's not going to save you if I decide to pounce?"
"You said you weren't going to hurt me."
"And I haven't. Like I said, if I wanted to hurt you, you would've stopped breathing hours ago."
"Whatever it is you want, you're not going to get it," she says, forcing herself to ignore my last remark. She's cute thinking she's capable of hurting me, especially with the knife to my throat.
I hold up the bracelet she'd been wearing only moments ago. "Well if this was all I was after, I'd have gotten what I wanted already."
"How did you-"
"Practice sweetheart and it really is the least of your concerns."
"What should I be concerned with?" she spits, cutting my neck again. If she draws any more blood, I'm going to want to shift and that will make this a bad night for everyone.
"You could start with forgetting about why I may or may not be here and think about what we could be doing right now."
The corner of her pink lips tug into a smile. "Nice try but you'll be leaving disappointed."
"Oh?"
"Even if I was interested, the guards are looking for you. Someone complained of a rabid werewolf and they're looking to solve the problem."
"I'm hardly rabid," I laugh. "And seeing as it's a full moon, half of those drunks would be mangled and bleeding if I was a werewolf." She pales slightly but I continue. "But that's not to say full moons don't make me...hungrier." Her scent is sweet and overwhelming, as is my desire to claim her. The chain on my self-control is pulled taut.
"I'll order them not to harm you if you tell me why you're here."
"And if I don't?"
"I'll let them know how dangerous you are and they'll deal with you accordingly." Footsteps and chatter steal my attention before I can tell her how useless that would be. As much as I'm enjoying her interrogation, onlookers will jump to the worst conclusions and I've gotten too far to blow this now.
It only takes me a moment to free the knife from her grip and slip it up my sleeve. I spin us before she has a chance to protest and I kiss her, pinning her against the wall to keep her from doing anything that would attract suspicious attention. Staying in control is even more of a challenge now that I taste her lips.
The conversation fades out again as they pass the end of the hall. I pull back, smiling a little at her swollen lips. "Did that answer any of your questions, sweetheart?"
"Hardly."
"What a shame." I flick my arm and her dagger slides into my palm. She refuses to look at it and keeps her weakening gaze on me. I drag my hand up her thigh, replacing the dagger in the sheath near her hip. Her skin is silky under my fingertips and I feel her tremble slightly. "It's the only explanation I have for you."
"You're lying." I see the thoughts running rampant through her head. Fae can't lie. Not normally at least. Unseelie can and having one parent from an unseelie court, I was gifted with the ability to lie but only partially. It still has to have a bit of truth.
"Maybe." She flattens against the wall when I lean in. "But aren't you at least a little curious about the untamed?"
"N-no."
I grin, looking down on her. "Now you're lying. I smell the desire on you. You reek of it."
"So?" she breathes. Her eyes drop to my lips and it takes everything in me to not devour her.
"Let me give you what you want."
"I'm not stupid."
"You're the one who held a knife to my throat. I'd say that was quite stupid of you."
"You said you weren't going to hurt me."
"I thought we'd established that I'm a liar."
"Did we? I can't tell with you going in constant circles."
"You're forcing me to with pointless questions. It's tiring to think so much when you can easily give in like you want to."
She narrows her eyes again but her cheeks are still pink under her mask. "You really are an animal."
"Another thing we established, love." I listen for any noises that indicate guards or wandering servants. I'm wasting more time trying to seduce her. I can drug her with the sleeping draught and she'll be asleep long enough for me to collect the information I need. She'll wake up with only a fuzzy memory of me. "And I'll gladly show you what it's like if you let me." I reach for my pocket without her noticing. That is until she tilts her head up to kiss me.
The chain slips for a moment and I grab her thigh, hooking her leg on my hip. It's getting difficult to focus on what I'm really here for. I'd take her right here in the hallway against the wall but I need to get to her room.
"Where's your room, darling?" I ask, forcing myself to break the ravenous kiss. I need more.
She slips out from under me and pulls me after her. She still has my mask in her other hand while wearing hers. That's the first thing coming off.
The double doors to her room are carved with blue flowers as described. The scent of sweet flowers pours out when she opens the door. It's enough to blind me from any other scents. Vines wrap around the bed posts and hang from the ceiling. The blue flowers glow softly, offering a bit of light in the dark room. My gaze lands on a desk across from her bed. That's what I need.
She turns the lock on her door and I yank her towards me, ripping off her mask. Her features are soft and delicate, with a round face and giant green eyes. This is a dangerous game I'm playing.
Unable to control myself, I kiss her hungrily, cutting her lip with the tip of my fang. I taste her blood and my fingers dig into her hips. Being gentle has never been so difficult.
Her fingers fumble with the gold clasps holding the front of my vest closed. I kiss her neck, relishing in her sigh when I drag my teeth across her milky skin. I breathe deep, drowning myself in desire for her.
I shrug out of the vest and feel her loosening my tie, throwing it to the floor. She works to undo the buttons next. I want to sink my teeth into her, taste more of her nectar-like blood. Only one taste and I'm addicted.
Her legs clamp around me when I lift her. She yanks my unbuttoned shirt from my pants, stopping when I throw her onto her bed and climb over her. Her chest rises and falls under me, pressing her soft breasts into me each time. I'm desperate to throw us both over the edge of pleasure and insanity.
I sit up to shrug off my shirt before returning to her mouth. I suck on her lip for more blood, inching myself towards a high with the small fix. Her hands slide down my front and I grip the sheets, my cock straining against my trousers. How much longer can I hold out for?
She hooks her leg around my waist and flips us. I follow her up when she tries to break the kiss until I'm resting on my elbow. Only then do I feel her warm fingers brush against my stomach as she undoes my belt. Her eyes widen at my length, watching it twitch as I struggle to keep myself on the chain.
I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me. I drag my thumb across her lip, smearing the drool and blood. "Show me you want it." She nods, lowering herself onto her stomach with a faint curve on her lips. I nudge my hips forward, waiting for the pleasure I'm desperate for.
She wraps her fingers around the base and I harden even more. A low growl escapes my lips when she pumps her hand, looking up to me for approval. She likes taunting the beast.
She lowers her head and licks up my entire length, circling the tip. I grit my teeth and watch her repeat it, coating me in her drool. It's not until she takes me in her mouth that I let out a moan.
"Fuck," I growl, tangling my fingers in her blonde hair. I push her down halfway, my body tensing when her tongue wraps around me, stroking each sensitive spot.
More of my fragile control slips away when she starts to suck. I push her head down over and over, losing myself in the feeling of her warm mouth. When she forces me down her throat, I throw my head back and bare my teeth, giving in to the growls erupting from deep in my chest. She's filling me with a hot, fiery need; one I'm not sure I can make myself ignore.
I keep her from going back down when I feel myself on the edge of my release. I'm desperate to bury myself between her thighs.
I pull her back up and flip us again, trapping her under me. With my hands gripped on the top of her dress, I rip the fabric, tearing the dress clean off her body. She's left in only undergarments covering her sex and the sheath around her thigh. Her eyes widen and she moves her hands to cover her breasts. I grab her wrists and pin her arms over her head.
"Let me look at you," I growl. I lower myself to one of her breasts, kissing her nipple lightly. She whines and arches her back under me. I torment her with my lips and tongue, all while untying the ribbons holding her undergarments around her hips. The fabric is drenched in her slick arousal.
Her body jerks when I stroke her slit with my fingers. Another whine escapes her lips and I slip the tip of my finger into her entrance.
"I didn't know you wanted me this badly," I purr, continuing to play with her. She opens her legs without me having to ask but I force myself not to look.
"Please..." she whimpers.
"Please what?" She gasps when I plunge my finger into her heat. Her walls clench around my finger as I stroke inside of her, feeling out each soaked crevice. I love watching her squirm, forcing myself to wait when all I can imagine is my cock stretching her.
"I...I want..." She can't even finish a sentence.
I pull my finger from her and put it in my mouth, sucking off every drop of her arousal. The taste is almost better than her blood and I need more. I let go of the chain and forget about being gentle. She's mine.
I shove my cock inside of her without an ounce of restraint. She cries out, her walls parting to let me in. It's not enough. I pull my hips away from hers for only a moment before I snap them forward again, growling as the primal ache swells. Sex has always been meaningless; a tool with only cruel intentions. But something in me wants this to mean more and it's worse than dancing with death. Having a real lover means an extra pawn in this game of roulette.
My fingers dig into her hip to keep her steady and I pick up the pace. Her tight walls close in each time I pull back, only to be forced apart when I slam into her mercilessly. The animal in me wants to keep her. Wolves mate for life and each time I fuck a woman, I go against what I am. I block it out, focusing on the pleasure and my purpose instead of the woman under me. But now, the beast is taking over. Something about her pulls me in and feeds my carnal desires. It could be her scent or the taste of her blood. Or it could be the way she looks as she endures my vicious pounding, keeping her legs open to take my thick cock.
I bare my teeth and squeeze her wrists. She's clenching around me, dragging me to my ecstacy faster than I want. I'd fuck her all night if I could. She screams in pleasure each time I slam into her. I should cover her mouth to muffle them but I don't. I want to hear her.
"H-harder," she chokes out before another scream. "Go harder!" She doesn't know what she's getting herself into. I force myself to stop thrusting and I release her wrists. "What are you-"
I flip her over and yank her hips into me, forcing her onto her knees. She screams into her pillow when I drive into her again harder than before. I hold nothing back, giving her what she asked for. I grab a handful of her hair and yank, forcing another whimpering cry from her sweet lips. I moan through grit teeth, holding out as long as I can. My length scrapes her narrow and slick walls, creating an agonizing friction that I can't get enough of.
I watch her fingers grip the sheets and her sex clenches around me. She drenches my cock and trousers, screaming as she succumbs to the violent pleasure.
It takes everything in me to withdraw at the last possible moment. I spill my hot seed onto her back, my body tensing with each wave as I watch the white liquid splash onto her already milky skin. I'm left growling like the animal I am, my chest heaving and dripping with sweat. Her knees slide down and only then do I notice the bit of blood smeared on her thighs and the drops coating my cock. She's never fucked before.
"You...you're an animal," she pants, lying flat on her stomach.
"Sorry love." I fix my trousers, watching her eyes flutter closed. Her breathing deepens and steadies. My focus is clouded by a haze. I seduced her with the sole purpose of making it to her room and now I want to stay. I'm feeling when I shouldn't.
I look away from her naked body and lock away my nature. The secret suitors she has could be devastating to my court's relations and wants. But it can also be dangerous to everyone if she forms an alliance between the crown and a war-hungry court.
I leave her bed without making a sound, collecting my shirt in the process. I leave the top three buttons undone and tuck it into my trousers, ignoring the tie completely. The last piece I fix is the vest, all while she sleeps peacefully in her bed. I'll get what I need and slip out. I'll leave her confused and full of regret as I have before to others. It's the vicious cycle I took charge of when I swore to the guild.
I move to her desk and see several opened letters. I skim them, only finding useless gossip with princesses of other courts. I open the drawers carefully until I find a book hidden under papers and more random things like dried flowers. It wasn't hidden very well but it was hidden for a reason. I open it to a random page, the words written in a delicate handwriting. It's her diary. It's generally considered wrong to read people's private thoughts but that's exactly what I'm here to do. I flip to the more recent entries and begin reading.
Father has been lecturing me about duties...
Not important at the moment. I flip to another page.
I'm afraid I scared Paya when I told her she sewed the waist of my new dress too tight...
I flip the page again, wondering if Paya is the servant from the hall. Then I freeze when I see a name glaring on the page.
Ganondorf.
Shit.
Father invited Ganondorf and his son again. He seems to think they are genuine but all I see are lies. Ganondorf and my father are urging a marriage between myself and Ganon. They say it will be a strong bond, one that will restore loyalty among the courts.
The High King is a fool if he trusts Ganondorf: the unseelie king of the Lorule court. He's hungry for the power the crown provides. He'll taint everything with blood. I assume his goal is to marry his son to princess Zelda and in turn, rule through him. And with the crown passing to her soon...
If we let this happen, there'll be no way to stop him from spilling unnecessary blood and waging costly wars on his adversaries, including my own court and countless others.
"What are you doing?" Shit.
I spin around, wrenching the knife from her hand. I didn't hear her get up or put on the nightgown she's wearing. It's too late now.
I grab her with her back against my front and pull the handkerchief from my pocket, holding it over her mouth and nose before she can scream for help. She fights against me, attempting to kick and elbow me. My grip is firm and the harder she fights, the deeper her panicked breaths become, breathing in the draught faster.
"Sorry darling," I say as her movements weaken. "I didn't want to do this." She mumbles under the cloth, her voice fading away until her body goes slack in my arms.
I lift her easily, carrying her limp and hardly covered body back to her bed. I really didn't want to do this but it's likely for the best. Feeling too attached is dangerous. My life of secrecy doesn't leave room for love.
Back at her desk, I find a blank piece of paper and I trace the entry about Ganondorf and his son. Any other possible suitors don't matter anymore if Ganon is the High King's top choice for his daughter. Unfortunately, he won't be so easy to get rid of. An assassination will likely start a war anyway. A deal might be our only option to prevent the marriage but that comes with its own complications as well. Ganondorf craves power and he won't back down unless he has it.
I tuck the note into my pocket and replace my mask before I slip out of her room. I need to find Impa. The sooner we report back, the longer my court has to devise a plan.
The flowers which were vibrant and full of life when I first came up here are now dull and limp. Something is wrong. The royal family shares a connection with the earth. I was just with the princess meaning the dying flowers are the result of an ill timed event with the King. It'll be chaos if he dies before passing the crown on to Zelda.
I make it to the staircase, the flowers around the railing shriveling and turning black. I skip steps, moving faster down the hidden stairs. I hear commotion from the ballroom like I had before only now it doesn't sound like drunk excitement. It sounds like fear. Screams. I smell it next without the flowery perfume to mask it. Whatever happened to the King might not be an unfortunate coincidence after all.
My steps echo as I run down the halls, following the screams. I smell blood next. And the foul scent of goblins.
Ganondorf's soldiers.
He's already begun his slaughter. I can only assume what he's done to the King and what he's going to do to the princess. He can't get to her first.
I turn around, running faster back the way I came. I draw my knife when I climb the stairs, passing the crumbling flowers. I'll find Impa later, my only priority now being to prevent a marriage between the princess and the unseelie prince. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. I wouldn't be surprised if she was in the middle of winning a fight right now.
I get to the princess's hall, finding goblins and foot soldiers clad in red fabric at the other end of the hall. I draw another knife. Having a sword right about now would be great. I take in their weapons consisting of curved sickles and crude swords. Three goblins and two foot soldiers. Should be simple enough.
They charge at me first, the foot soldiers sending the lowly goblins ahead. Goblins are stupid creatures, charging straight at danger without regard for their neck. They swing sloppily and I sidestep them, burying my largest dagger into the back of a blue one. It chitters, falling limp to the floor and I turn my attention to the living. I slice through the belly of another, spilling its rancid blood on top of the fallen petals. I pick up its sword, beheading the last of the foul creatures. Now for the fun part.
The masked soldiers charge at me together and I block with the bloodstained sword. I hear them straining, pushing the tips of their sickles closer to my head. I steal a bit of my wolflike strength, struggling to keep myself from shifting. I have no way to get the princess out safely with clawed paws.
A growl escapes when I shove them backward. One meets the harsh fate of being run through with a dull blade. I'd hate to go out that way. A sharp blade is quicker, more painless. I leave the sword in his gut, switching back to my jeweled daggers. I cut a gash across his slender chest when he charges at me, darkening the red of his skin-tight fabric. I block again, twisting my daggers around his sickle and flinging it to the floor. With his weapon behind me, he turns heel like a scared dog and runs. He'll only come back with more.
I aim carefully, throwing my dagger with a deadly spin. The metal sinks between his shoulder blades, his body falling to the floor. He only twitches once before he goes limp.
I go towards the princess's door, leaving the carnage behind me when the tip of a blade slices through the thick fabric of my vest. The skin underneath hardly stings. It's only a scratch. But I'm not entirely optimistic when I turn around to find a blademaster readying his curved blade for another swipe. He's not going to be as stupid as the others. And all I have is a single dagger.
He laughs when I dodge, his voice deep and muffled behind his white mask. I attempt to get close, only to get kicked backwards. How convenient it would be if I was a wolf right now. I wouldn't need weapons to relieve him of his limbs.
I dodge again, creating an opening. I stab him in the shoulder and he yells, jolting backwards. I curse the dagger when I struggle to yank it free. It gives him enough time to slam the hilt of his sword against my head and kick me again. I fall on my back, ready to roll at the last possible second when he raises his sword. Just before he brings it down, an arrow lodges through the side of his head, his body standing for a moment until he falls with a heavy thud. I look to the source and see Impa notching another arrow in a crossbow.
"Where the fuck did you get that?" I ask, picking myself off the floor. I retrieve my dagger from his lifeless body, wiping the blood off on my pants.
"I found it." On a dead body I assume. It's what she says next that leaves me more worried than before. "The King is dead. Ganondorf had him murdered."
"Fuck." There's no leader now. Not until Zelda is crowned. I go back to her door.
"Where are you going? We need to leave!"
"We're taking her with us." I'm relieved to see her in her bed like I left her.
"Can I ask why?"
"Ganondorf is planning on marrying her to his son."
"Shit."
"Exactly." I go to pick her up when Impa grabs my arm.
"Did you drug her?"
"Yes." It's extremely inconvenient now. I have no idea when she'll wake up. It could be ten minutes or tomorrow afternoon.
"How the hell do you plan on getting her out of here then? The place is infested with Ganondorf's minions killing at every chance." I didn't think of that. He's waging war. It's not going to be easy to get out.
With no other option, I hand Impa the note I traced and begin undoing my vest.
"Now isn't the time to strip," she says, her brows furrowing as she reads the note.
"I'm going to shift and it hurts enough without this piece of shit."
"Oh because we need an uncontrollable wolf running rampant as well!"
"Do you have a better idea?" I don't bother undoing the buttons on my shirt and rather tear it off, scattering the buttons across the floor. She presses her lips together, glancing over at the sleeping princess. "You carry her and I'll clear the way." I kick off my shoes last, leaving my trousers to be ripped apart during the transformation.
"Fine." She tucks the note into her dress and lifts the princess, tossing her unceremoniously over her shoulder like a rag doll. Grace isn't one of our concerns at the moment.
I take a deep breath, preparing myself for one of the worst experiences of my life. It takes less than a minute but for me it feels like an eternity. Shifting turns me into a wild animal, stealing away my self-control. The longer I stay in that form, the easier it is for my instincts to take over.
The pain is immediate, my bones the first to twist and snap, forming new joints. It forces me to the floor on my hands which turn to massive paws with knife-like claws in less than a second. My cries of pain turn into the whimpers and growls of an injured wolf. I feel more of myself slipping away, a hungry beast replacing my control. My skin prickles as the thick fur covers my body. My muzzle forms last, filled with sharp teeth that can crack skulls without much effort. Then it's done. It's over with no lingering pain, leaving only a snarling wolf the size of a small horse in place of the fae I was.
I turn on Impa and the princess, my snout curling into a deeper snarl when I remember how her blood tasted. It was sweet and warm.
"Link," Impa warns, holding her dagger out as a threat. She's not afraid of me. "Focus." She steps forward, keeping the blade pointed at me to urge me towards the door. I growl at her, reluctant to listen. "You're so fucking stubborn. You can maul anything you want out there!" I smell that blood when I remember the bodies. I'll get to kill plenty.
I stalk out of the room, my claws leaving scratch marks on the floor. I look at my previous carnage, hungry for more. I salivate at the scent of fresh blood coming up the stairs. I wait until I see them. Then I pounce, ripping the goblins apart limb by limb. I barrel down the stairs next, tackling a blademaster with ease. He screams, my claws burying themselves into his chest. I bite his head, jerking to twist his neck unnaturally. Each kill feeds my thirst for violence. Each drop of blood makes me hungry for more.
Impa runs after me, stepping over the lifeless bodies I leave in my wake. She has to do nothing except follow my bloody paw prints. I pass guards and servants murdered by the enemy. I can't guarantee I wouldn't have attacked them if they were alive. Everyone looks like prey.
The screams get louder when we make it back to the ballroom. There's bodies of innocent pixies, faeries, zora, rito, and nixies. There's more trying to flee and are cornered by goblins and foot soldiers. It takes everything in me to attack the right creatures. The thick musk of fear mixes with the blood and I let myself go. Bodies are mangled beyond recognition, making it almost impossible to discern what creature they used to be. I tear flesh with my fangs and snap bones between my jaws.
"Put me down!" The soft but angry voice interrupts my slaughter.
"Calm down, princess!" I watch Impa put the flailing princess down, drawing her knife to fight attackers. With her attention not on the princess anymore, Zelda runs. In the wrong direction.
I chase after her, sliding on the floor when I jump in front of her. I snarl and she backs away slowly, her wide eyes level with my ravenous ones.
Don't hurt her.
"It's you," she pants. I step closer, my growls full of a different kind of hunger. "Don't!" I can't tell her I'm going to protect her even though I wish I could.
She looks past me, her eyes filling with tears when she finds the throne. I follow her gaze. Her father is still sitting there, lifeless and bleeding. What she doesn't notice are the creatures coming for her. There'll be time for mourning later.
I take a protective stance in front of her, giving them a deadly obstacle in the way of their king's prize. I snarl, licking my blood coated teeth as they advance. No one is going to touch her.
They charge, sickles ready to deal a deadly blow. I go for their arms first. All I hear are the screams and my mouth fills with bitter blood. I feel her eyes on me, watching me kill for her. I want to impress her.
I tear out a throat and turn around, dragging the body by the neck. Impa is next to her again. I drop the body in front of the princess, making her jump back. In the midst of the chaos, I sit like an obedient puppy, my tail tapping the floor rhythmically behind me.
"Snap out of it!" Impa barks. "We have bigger issues!" I ignore her, my eyes glued to Zelda.
"What's he doing?" Zelda asks, her feet ready to run again. I don't want her to run from me.
"He's trying to impress you."
"Impress me?"
"So you'll want to mate with him."
"How dare he-"
"It doesn't matter! Just ignore him!" I growl at her now. "What matters is getting you out safely and since the horses are bound to have run off, you need to go with him."
"I'm not going with him! He's dangerous!" Not to her.
"Think of him as an overgrown puppy. Now go before you doom the rest of us!"
Startled, Zelda inches closer to me. I lie down to be low enough for her to climb on my back. A low growl rumbles in my chest when she touches me. I force my tail to still. The priority now is to get her somewhere safe.
"Go now!" Impa orders, readying herself to fight again.
The princess sits on my back and I stand, barreling through the remaining creatures. She buries her fingers in my fur, holding on tight as I run faster.
I make it out of the castle and leave the path. Our best chance will be through the Lost Woods. Goblins are too stupid to navigate the foggy trees.
I feel her rest her head on me and her body shakes. I hear her pained sob next. Everything she's used to is over. She has to take her father's place and keep our land from falling into ruin at the hands of Ganondorf.
What she doesn't know is that I've chosen her, promising her protection and loyalty. I won't let anyone hurt her.