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Twilight sighed as Wild and Wind scowled at each other.
He really didn’t know how this had become such a big thing, but the sailor and his cub had disagreed once about their opinions on kings, and then it’d grown out of proportion. They couldn’t go two days without saying or doing something passive-aggressive.
It was starting to affect team morale.
“Cub,” Twilight said quietly, knowing he’d hear anyway, “leave it. You’re not going to convince him.”
Wild ignored him and only scowled harder.
From somewhere behind him, Legend groaned loudly. “Oh, would you two leave it alone already? I’m getting sick of watching you two, and that’s saying something. There are good kings and there are shitty kings. Just because you’ve met a king or two doesn’t make you an expert on every king ever. Can you stop arguing and move on?!”
Twilight stared at Legend. Everyone did, really. Of all the people to advocate against arguments, Legend wasn’t who he would have expected.
Legend usually started the arguments.
“I’m just saying-” Wind started petulantly, but Legend interrupted.
“I don’t care! I don’t need or want to hear what your argument is. I need you to stop arguing about it. You can keep disagreeing all you want, just stop making it everyone else’s problem, too.”
Legend, king of making his problems everyone else’s problems, arguing for not making it everyone else’s problem? Had Twilight been transported to a different universe when he wasn’t looking?
He glanced around to make sure, and then remembered that, by their guess of the timelines, technically he was transported to different universes regularly. Still, it was odd for Legend.
That strangeness seemed to get to everyone else, too, because Wild and Wind agreed to stop arguing, at least for a little bit. Twilight hoped it’d last more than a couple of days. It’d be a nice break.
---
Twilight stepped out of the portal and into what he was pretty sure was a castle hallway. Gilded tapestries lined the walls, plush runners carpeted the floor, and armed guards stood in alcoves.
Well, the guards had stood in the alcoves, up until the chain came through the portal. Now, everyone was being held at spear-point. Time and Warriors, in the front of the group, raised their hands in surrender. Twilight copied them, as did everyone else.
“State your names and your reason for entry,” one of the guards barked.
The portal swirled shut behind them. They were trapped here now. No way out but forwards.
Time moved to say something — possibly to explain the situation and that they had no ability to control where they went, or even to ask to see the Zelda of this time — but the guard’s eyes widened and his spear lowered. The other guards’ spear followed a second later.
To the chain’s surprise, the guards all dropped to a knee. The guard that had spoken before said, “Your majesty. Apologies.”
Twilight looked behind him, to see if he’d somehow missed hearing a Zelda come up behind the group, but instead he saw Legend, who was the last to leave the portal, looking startled. As he watched, Legend’s ears started to flush pink.
“Thank you, Lewin,” he said, voice higher than usual. “We’re going to go see Zelda now.”
“Certainly. Her highness is in her study. Desmond can show you the-”
Legend’s voice raised even more. “Thank you, Lewin, but I know the way.”
Without waiting for a response, Legend pushed his way through the chain and stalked down one of the halls. Twilight snapped out of his shock first and hurried to catch up, quickly followed by the rest. Behind them, the guards resumed their positions.
“So, are we going to talk about whatever that was?” Four asked.
“No, we’re not,” Legend snapped.
“Legend, this is the kind of information you need to share with us,” Time said. “I’m going to have to insist that we talk about it.”
“It’s really not.” Legend turned left at a crossroads without slowing down, and everyone else had to scramble to not go the wrong way.
“Legend, you told us you were an average nobody. When were you going to tell us you’re actually a fucking prince?!” Wind demanded.
Instead of answering, Legend opened one of the doors that lined the hall. Inside, Fable sat at her desk, doing paperwork.
“Link! And these must be the other heroes! Welcome! I had not heard that you arrived.”
“Yeah, that’s cause we got dumped in the East Wing Main Hallway,” Legend complained.
“Ah, did you run into the guards, brother-mine?”
Legend’s whole body slumped. His face flushed the same shade as his secret furry form. “Yes, thank you, Zel,” he spat.
Zelda giggled lightly, unfazed by her brother’s — siblings? what?? — fury.
“WAIT A MINUTE!” Wild shouted. Twilight looked over at his cub, who was pointing at Legend with a shocked look on his face. “That guard called you ‘your majesty’! Are you a King?!”
Hang on. He had! Even in Ordon, Twilight had learned that it was highness for princes and princesses, and majesty for kings and queens. How hadn’t he realised?
Legend looked at the ceiling. “I regret all of you.”
“What do you regret? Knowing us, making friends with us…” Warriors teased
“Your existences.”
Hyrule grinned. “Even me?”
Legend’s mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out. His expression pinched. Hyrule’s grin widened.
“Fine. I hate all of you but ‘Rulie.”
Fable’s grin nearly matched Hyrule’s — impressive, given Twilight’s suspicions about his ancestry being fae in nature. “Even me, Link?”
“Yes, you,” Legend said with no hesitation. Fable giggled again. “Ravio managed to not spill all of my secrets within five minutes of meeting them.”
“Hang on,” Warriors said. “If you’re king, don’t you have responsibilities? What are you doing travelling with us?”
Legend shook his head. “Zelda’s my regent. She’s taking care of all the important legal work. I’m shit at paperwork. I'm better at swinging a sword, so I'm making sure the country stays safe. Travelling with you idiots is my job.”
“Aww, you love us,” Hyrule cooed. Legend, notably, didn't say anything.
“Hey, wait. This is proof!” Wind exclaimed. He turned to Wild. “I told you kings are good.”
Legend scowled. “And I said that you shouldn't generalise,” he said before Wild could respond.
“But you're a good king!”
Legend crossed his arms. “Yeah, and there's a reason I took over so young. Like I said, good kings and shit kings.”
Wind scowled but said nothing.
Twilight clapped his hands lightly to get everyone’s attention. “So, now that that's finished, who's gonna tell Sky that this makes Legend his descendant?”
Legend looked betrayed, but Sky’s delighted gasp more than made up for it.