LINK POV
I am sure this is where Nana said she would be, but I don't see her or anybody for that matter, why is she not here? Am I the one who just got stood-up?
"OH! there you are my Prince, I thought you were bluffing about coming for breakfast" Nana said as she approached Link wiping her hands on her apron "but my instinct told me I should definitely expect your arrival. There are tacos for us, follow me." She said entering her kitchen.
No food was visibly served, but the kitchen still smelled A LOT. Resting on the table was yesterday's newspaper, in the front page it read with big black letters CANON LAW: ANGEL PERIOD. Link quickly glanced at it and dismissed it.
I wonder if there are people who still follow that law, naming babies/pets/business after the canonic period sounds… I mean, if its flower period naming a boy after a flower may even be considered cruelty if you ask me.
"I usually keep my word Nana, and I said I was coming… Tacos sounds way too safe, what am I really eating?" he asks a little suspicious
"It's brain tacos and a few tongue ones, all beef innards" she says as she passes him a plate and grabs one for herself, then positions a basket between them on the gable, the idea was for them to grab the tacos out of the basket and place them on their plate to eat.
Link raises his eyebrows and produces a half smile; he then reaches inside the basket for a few tacos
This might as well be the end of me… reason of demise: indigestion
"How do I know which one is which?" Link asks
"You don't, isn't that fun?" Nana answers with an evil grin
Nana reaches behind her for a bucket and places it next to Link
Link notices "You are expecting me to throw up I guess" he states
"I hope you don't, but I am no newbie, people have emptied their intestines in this kitchen before… so I learned to better be prepared" she says as she sits and bites on one of her tacos.
He squints his eyes at her taking the comment as a dare, he bites into one of his tacos maintaining eye contact with Nana.
Just so you know, I am NOT scared, I have eaten liver, kidney and intestines, brain and tongue just happen to be new to me and I don't know if it was properly cooked or… WTF, this is amazing, I need water though.
He lifted his eyebrows in amazement, stood to reach for the water jug, filled his cup and also reached for Nana's cup, he looked at her raising an eyebrow, she smiled at him trying to suppress the pride she felt.
"Yes, do fill my cup please and thank you… I assume you are pleased with my food" Nana states
"I am satisfied with the brain tacos; I still need to try the tongue ones… what else can I expect to eat in your kitchen?" Link asks suddenly very interested and kind of excited at the prospect.
"Liver obviously, eyes, kidney, gizzard, heart, I want to try intestine and testicles… I have to ask you something" Link raises his head to look at her and signals with his hand for her proceed with her question
"Why did you asked for Chacha to be your maid?" asks Nana, Link stops chewing and clears his throat
"Because she is an asset, she has a set of skills that I value, and knows how to swim in the pool I blindly jumped in. I trust her judgement" Link looks at Nana who is nervously wringing a napkin "My intent is not sexual if that is what worries you, if I force her to something it would be to answer my questions and to be brutally honest, your daughter is safe with me. Can't say the same about myself though" he says with a half-smile and reaches for more tacos from the basket.
"She is not my daughter" she says with tears forming in her eyes.
"I… I am sorry, I just thought-" Links starts to say but is stopped by Nana when she suddenly stood, went around the table and hugged his head crying. Link was fighting to repress his instinct to subdue her, he chooses to just focus on breathing. She finally stopped crying after a few minutes and retreated cleaning her tears with a napkin.
I should warn her about… NO. I am part of a family now; I must learn when to react and when not to… whom to defend from and whom do I allow in my inner space… My coworkers were so damn right about the difficulties of managing family life and our work. The fight instincts implanted on us are not an on/off switch.
"I am sorry my Prince, I was just so happy, Chacha has never had a friend before, do you have any idea how many nights I prayed for this to happen? She is just so young to be so lonely"
"I don't know if she considers me THAT, but yeah I can see her as a friend" Link says still trying to recover from the sudden hug "I thought I made you cry by making you remember she is not your daughter" Link says reaching for more tacos.
"Oh, she is not mine, but I love her as if she were, the poor girl was abandoned by her mother when she was 6… I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, it was obvious her mother did not love her at all, since she would not even feed her. When that awful woman ran away, I asked the king if I could keep the child and he agreed… ¨I have visited the orphanages in Hyrule, the upbringing of those kids is disgusting… if you say you can take care of her, I will allow it¨ he said to me"
"My king sounds like a good and reasonable man, I kind of understand why it was extremely important for Chacha to turn me into the son he deserves" Link says finally finding a tongue taco
"He is the best!!! it saddens me to think the princess still refuses to give him a chance…" adds Nana sadly
Give him a chance? He is her father, he does not need to be begging for any- [Queen Claire Harkinian, Princess Zelda Harkinian, and me Doble D Nohansen] SHE IS NOT HIS DAUGHTER, they don't even share last name, I thought he had at least procreated her before he became the ruler of this land.
The root of the problem is that she has no authority figure, my King wants to be her parent but she wants none of it, this has to be the reason why she ends up turning into the bitch I know… she has daddy issues. And the King expects me to reverse this mess… FUCK. Well, I think I can fix this, but I am not Freud, it won't be by talking it out.
Chacha enters the kitchen in a rush, does a curtsy for Link and speaks "you have been summoned to the office? The butler said you know where that is, its urgent so you should go as soon as possible… can I help Nana or someone else around with their chores? I am done with your room and bored"
Link covers his mouth and starts coughing out of laughter, then nods at her. Chacha turns and starts to leave but stops at the door and yells at Link "BE A MAN AND START GETTING THAT ROOM FILFTHY, I DON'T WANT TO GET BORED"
Chacha leaves, both Nana and Link keep staring at the now empty space, Nana smiled happily, Link was suppressing a fit of laughter.
"I think she considers you a friend too" says Nana grinning, Link gives one final bite to his taco and stands
"I have to leave now, my presence is requested apparently, thanks for the breakfast" Link nods at Nana with a smile.
"Thanks to YOU my Prince. This basket still had 20 tacos the guards were too grossed out to continue eating, you just helped me finish them. did you at least find a tongue one?"
"Yes, but just one, it tasted good too. I have to hurry now, my King may be a great man, but he does have a temper, I don't want to make him angry at me AGAIN" Link says as he hurries and leaves, Nana's laughter at that last comment can be heard even outside of the kitchen.
My maid is bored, she wants me to give her things to do, I am NOT filthy, but I can try. That one is the door… was it not?
KNOCK-KNOCK!
"ABOUT DAMN TIME, come in" answers the Queen
Link pursed his lips and opened the door, revealing Queen Claire sitting and hustling through paper and the King standing at the edge of the desk, he was trying to grab on one, but as soon as his hand approached the desk, the Queen growled at him. Link stands still, not knowing what he should do, all he knew was that he did not want to interrupt the lioness.
"You start by closing the door behind you and greeting us" says the Queen aggressively and without raising her eyes from the papers.
"GOOD MORNING your majesties" Link says as he closes the office's door, while the king starts calling him to come with his hand.
What was I expecting? for a strong man to be paired with a meek woman? Of course not, that shit only happens in chick flicks. If my King is an animal, my queen has to be the handler.
"Don't mind her aggressive tone son, she is just a little stressed with your name choosing" Daphnes says.
"Just a little? There are MANY things to take in consideration, I want a special name that has not been used by the Royal family in the last 200 years, so all these names are useless" the Queen drops a pile of papers to the floor.
"I don't want any noble saying ¨the royal family does not follow the old canon laws¨ NOBODY DOES, but they are going to say that about us because they can… this year is the turn of the angels, so we have to give you an angel name, making all these names trash too" the Queen pushes an even bigger pile of papers off the desk.
"Crossing out the names that have already been used, you only have a list of 5 names… choose one" the Queen orders Link, the King walks right behind her and starts massaging her shoulders.
Link grabs the list before saying "Thank you mother, for all the trouble you went through for me, but I must ask, would it be possible for me to keep my actual name?" Link asks hopping it does not offend the Queen and demerits all the struggle she put herself through.
"Yes and no, what is your name?" asks the Queen
"His name is LINK" answers the King and continues "Boy… you are a Nohansen now, our family has always carried two names, chose a name that pairs well with your current one and you can keep it"
From a list of only 5 names, damn… but the Queen actually put a lot of thought and work on this list… like she actually cares, even though we just meet. I AM going to choose one from the list no matter what.
Link lifts the list and reads the suggested names
Jophiel… that sounds gay. Metatron… NO, I don't like it and it sounds like a robot, Selaphiel… better. Raziel… ok, actually it has a nice ring to it. And angel Moroni… that sounds like a moron, definitely NO.
"RAZIEL LINK NOHANSEN, that is the name I choose my King" Link says, the King smiles broadly at that.
"Sounds good, I was thinking on Jophiel you know, but it's YOUR pick" says the Queen producing half a smile.
The King opens his eyes wide at that statement "NO WOMAN, THAT SOUND GAY! I am not allowing it" declares the King in anger, the Queen erupts in a fit of laughter, Link sighs.
She was joking… DAMN IT, I was considering changing my choice to Jophiel just to please her. This woman is a coercer, I think I like her.
The Queen kept laughing and the King suddenly kisses her, just to shut her up, Link takes this as his cue to leave them alone, as he turns to the door the Queen yells.
"Raziel, go to your room and STAY there, Martin is coming to see you in an hour or so, I will send him to your room so you better be there" says the Queen
Link questions her before leaving "Who is Martin?"