The sun was starting to set and Zelda could see the outlines of two loftwings fading into the sky above. She scrunched up her face in concern. "I hope they make it back before it gets too dark."
Link shrugged as he chewed the last bit of his baked apple. "Pipit's a Knight now, so even if they're back a little late it won't be a big deal. He'll get them home safe."
"I always hated flying at night the few times I did it," Zelda admitted with a frown. "I only ever went out with my father, but I never liked it even then."
Link nodded. "It always seemed like it would be disorienting."
"It probably wouldn't have been for you," she replied. "Your bird knew those skies inside and out. You could probably just tell him where to go and he'd take you there without even being steered."
Link gave a short laugh and nodded, leaning back on his arms and stretching his legs out on front of him. Zelda couldn't help but smile at the picture of him. Post-picnic with their friends, his casual playfulness out in full force. He was chewing a piece of grass and his hair ruffled slightly in the breeze. The violet and orange light from the setting sun cast colorful shadows on his face, making his eyes look even bluer than normal.
"Do you miss him?" she asked, turning to sit cross-legged and face him. She toyed with one of the rolls they had brought for their supper, piecing it apart into small bite sized pieces.
Link shrugged. "Some days. I wonder if he'd come if I called."
"I've wondered the same thing," agreed Zelda. It had been over a year now since she'd seen her own bird, and she rarely thought of Skyloft as home anymore. After all, she and Link had a small house at the edge of the slowly growing village. They visited the merchants who had come down from the sky almost daily to pick up things or just chat, and he had started a small garden behind the house. This was home.
She could feel Link's eyes on her, reading her silence. "Do you miss it?"
He'd asked her this before, probably a dozen times at least, but she couldn't blame him for asking again. There were days she wasn't sure exactly how she felt. "Yes, and no. I would never go back; there are too many things we need to do down here and so many places we can explore, but there are so many memories of that island that I treasure."
"Me too," he said with a smile, inching closer to her.
Zelda grinned and slid closer to him, her head on his shoulder as she stared off in the distance. "Pipit seemed well," she said a few moments later. "He was much more talkative this time. He seemed much more at ease than he did a month ago."
Link nodded, a grin on his face. "I gave him my bug net the last time he was down."
Zelda looked confused. "Whatever for?"
"Stritch. He likes bugs," he laughed. "Obsessively so. I used to sell them to him when I was short on rupees. I gave it to Pipit so he can do the same thing; helps him get a little extra savings."
Zelda nodded but then scowled. "I cannot believe his mother used to offer you money to clean her house instead of using it to pay for his tuition," she muttered. "And I cannot believe my father didn't have any clue of the situation and was still charging him-"
"You were missing," Link pointed out fairly. "You were missing, and I think is sole focus was on that, not on the fact that Pipit was struggling to make tuition."
Zelda scoffed. "Still… that's shameful on her part."
"It's why he hasn't taken Karane to meet her yet," Link added.
"They've been together longer than we have," Zelda said thoughtfully. "Thanks to you, of course. I suppose it doesn't matter if they meet right now. Karane is hoping to come down here sooner than later. I think she sees the village and all the opportunities we have and can't wait to leave home."
Link nodded. "I think Pipit is excited as well, but since he's a Knight he'll have to stay until the whole island decides to leave, or at least until your father decides to move the Academy down here."
"Why do you think that?" asked Zelda curiously.
"Someone has to guard the edges," he mused. "Pipit feels responsible, so I think as long as there are people there he'll feel compelled to stay. That's part of being a Knight."
Zelda pursed her lips and looked sidelong at him. "You know, you were never officially Knighted…"
Link's cheeks went pink. "I don't need it…"
"But you deserve it," she said, leaning over his lap. Zelda knew this was a touchy subject. Link had a hard time accepting the credit for what he had done. It had taken six months after it was all over for someone to point out that he'd never been Knighted after his adventures. When Link mumbled that he'd never finished his final year, they offered to waive the requirements considering what he'd done.
Link had only blushed and said he'd have to think about it. That was a year ago.
Zelda put her hand on his chest, her fingers lingering against a tiny scar he had gotten fighting for her. "I know how you feel about it. You know it doesn't matter in the slightest to me, don't you?" she asked, dipping her head to catch his eyes with hers.
Link nodded, taking her hand in his. "I know."
"The only reason I even think about it is because I want everyone to how brave and selfless you are. I cannot go around introducing you as the Hero of Skies," she teased, watching his cheeks turn pink, "but Sir Link of New Hylia doesn't sound that bad, does it?"
"No, it doesn't," he admitted, chewing his lip. "But I don't care what everyone thinks of me; I only care what you think."
Zelda smiled, leaning her head against his chin. She felt his lips in her hair and sighed contentedly. It was little things like this that made her love him so much. Sometimes they were late to events or they had to rearrange plans because he slept late. Sometimes he didn't take the founding of the new village seriously and spent the day goofing off with Fledge or messing about with various creatures on the surface. Sometimes he would fall into periods of silence and withdraw when the memories of his adventure began overwhelming him.
And sometimes, in moments like this, he'd say, "I love you, Zelda, and you love me. That's the only recognition that matters."
Zelda's heart jumped into her throat. By the time it settled back in her chest, Link had leaned forward to catch her lips with his very quickly, lingering for just a moment before leaning back.
She tasted cinnamon and apples when she pressed her lips together. "I know," she replied, cupping his cheek with her hand. "You're much too easy to please, you know."
"Not that easy," he grinned. "It takes a little effort."
She smirked and leaned forward. "Not that much effort. All I have to do is lean in… like this," she mused, angling her body over his. "Then, I can touch your ears," she continued, taking the tip of her index finger and running it over his ear and down his jaw, resting it on his chin. "Then I kiss you," she whispered, following through with her actions. She kissed him slowly, barely parting her lips against his, lingering just long enough to hear him inhale slowly before she pulled back. "And see? Look how happy you are."
Link gave her a lopsided smile. "I could be happier," he teased, threading an arm around her waist. "I could make you happier," he added, making it almost sound like a promise.
Zelda giggled and rested her forehead against his. She liked it when Link was like this, when he was confident. It had been a few months now since they started making love regularly. They had both caught on quick to what worked best, and while he still needed a little coaxing now and then, Link was much more confident when it came to acting on his desire for her.
So, it was not unexpected when he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. It wasn't unexpected when he tilted his head to kiss her deeper, letting her tongue sweep along his lips before returning the gesture. And it wasn't unexpected when he paused for a moment, running his fingers through her hair before cradling her face against his.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured, looking at her like he was seeing he for the first time. Zelda smiled, staring back at his blue eyes. The light from the sun was completely gone now. All that was left was a dim violet line along the horizon and pale light of the moon casting shadows across Link's face. Zelda swore she could see the starlight above flickering in his eyes.
Then Link pulled her mouth back to his and kissed her hungrily, fingers threading into her hair to hold her close. Zelda wrapped her arms around his neck, whimpering a little when he swept his tongue against hers. He tasted like cinnamon baked apples and she could smell the woods and sunshine in his hair. He let out a little moan of satisfaction. It rumbled in his throat and she slid her hands down his chest as if she was chasing the noise.
She knew this type of kiss. It was the kiss, the one that would lead to Link pulling back from her and chewing his lower lip before asking if she was ready to head home. They would pack up the blanket as quickly as possible and walk down the hill through the path back to their village. Once they were inside the house, he would throw the blanket and leftover food aside and sweep her into her bedroom, which was now their bedroom. Then it would be scattered clothes on the floor and fumbling yet steady hands against her skin until she was thrumming with desire.
This was the pattern they adopted, and after the chaos that ultimately brought them together, Zelda didn't mind the predictableness at all.
But to Zelda's surprise, he laid back against the blanket, pulling her with him. She crawled over his hips, her fingers in his hair as she kissed him back a little harder than normal. Link didn't seem to mind at all. She swallowed the sound of his moan, shuddering as his hands slid down her neck and over her breasts. Zelda arched slightly into his hands, grinding her hips down against him. Link groaned again and his hands moved over her waist before coming to rest on her hips. Zelda rocked again, expecting him to hold her steady and stop her movements… but Link pushed back. She could feel him, the stiff length of him pressing right where she ached.
His kisses became a little hungrier, a little untamed. Then he was holding her, his hands pressing her hips down, grinding her against him. She knew this feeling; the greedy, slightly possessive grip of his fingers against her hips, but it only ever happened in their bedroom. Not out here in the dimming twilight under the open sky. She could feel the intent in his fingertips, and when he slipped his hands under her skirt Zelda felt a thrill of desire run through her.
She pulled back suddenly. His actions were so sudden, and so unexpected. She chewed her lip while staring down at him, waiting for him to snap back into predictability. Link panted heavily, his breath warm against her face. There was a dull blush on his cheeks and a momentary flash of uncertainty in his eyes. The grip on her thighs lessened ever so slightly.
"Stop?" he asked, his voice thick with desire.
"No," she breathed, leaning down to kiss him. He made a soft noise against her lips, rocking up into her as she moved again. She pulled out of the kiss and rested her forehead against his, feeling his hands tighten on her thighs. Another jolt of anticipation raced through her.
"Here?" he asked, blood rushing into his face.
Zelda considered him, looking at the moonlight in his hair and the starlight in his eyes. The wind whispered softly in the trees; she heard the steady thrum of the waterfall in the distance and could see the soft glow from the torches in the village at the bottom of the hill through the trees. This was her favorite spot in all the land; the small meadow at the top of this hill where she could see the lake on one side, the forest on another, and the village beyond it.
Her breath hitched and she pressed her lips together, feeling Link's body tense underneath hers. She kissed him again, rolling her hips and swallowing his responding moan. "Yes," she emphatically replied.
"Zelda," he breathed, leaning up to catch the sound she made with his mouth. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Zelda threaded her fingers through his hair, tilting her head to kiss him deeper, their lips connecting and parting again and again as Link slowly undid the thread that tied her dress together.
Zelda had to pull away to get it off her arms, and she figured while she was sitting up she may as well remove the thin bodice she was wearing. She tossed her hair and brought her hands behind her back to undo it, gasping a little in surprise when Link sat up to help. As soon as it was free from her arms she reached down, helping him pull his tunic over his head and toss it off to the side.
Link pulled her against him, his mouth finding the space between her jaw and her ear as Zelda tipped her head back and tangled her fingers in his hair. She sighed, loving the feel of his chest against hers, of his hands against her skin. She arched into him when his hands slid up her ribs to cradle her breasts, letting out a small sigh as his thumbs circled her nipples slowly.
"Are you cold?" he whispered, looking up at her. She shook her head, planting a kiss in his hair. "Good," he breathed before lifting her slightly and flipping her over onto her back.
Zelda let out a squeak of surprise and a little laugh as Link laid her back against the blanket, pulling him in for another kiss. The entire time they kissed he was working her dress over her hips and down her legs. Once the dress was off Zelda suddenly felt very shy when she stretched out underneath him. They had only ever been naked together in their bedroom. The dim oil lamp or the early rays of sunshine their only light source. For some reason out here, in the light of the moon and the stars, she felt much barer than she had before.
Link was kneeling straddled over her legs and rolling up her dress when he noticed she had covered herself. He paused, searching her expression for hesitation. "Are you okay?" he asked, hovering over her.
"Yes, I'm fine," she whispered, relaxing when he moved closer.
He nodded, cupping his hand behind her head to lift her up, then he laid her folded-up dress underneath her like a pillow. The gesture was so sweet and so Link that Zelda felt her eyes prick with tears. She took hold of his face in her hands and pulled her mouth to his, sighing as he laid her back against the blanket.
Link ran his fingertips over Zelda's lips, collarbones, breasts, ribcage, navel, pubic bone before he curved his hand and ran the pad of his middle finger right where she ached the most. She could feel shivers from her toes to the top of her head, and Link's eyes seemed to follow the same path the shivers took. "You're so beautiful, Zelda," he whispered reverently. Zelda arched into him as he lowered his body against hers, skin aching for contact.
Link kissed her, one of his hands between her legs and the other braced against the blanket by her head. She whimpered when he moved his lips across her cheekbone then down her jaw. He paused by her breasts, and Zelda arched as he pulled one of her nipples into his mouth and circled it with his tongue. She tangled her fingers in his hair, following him as gave each of her breasts equal attention before moving lower. He kissed down her ribs, over her navel, and finally to the top of her underwear.
"May I?" he asked, snaking his fingers underneath the cotton fabric. Zelda nodded and lifted her hips, allowing him to pull her underwear off and toss it to the side. She let her legs drift apart, giving him space rest between them. She moaned quietly when he began stroking at her with his fingers again, circling the little notch of nerves she had showed him so long ago. His mouth was at her navel, kissing the soft part of her belly, then it was against the inside of her thighs…
"Link," she breathed out, her hips bucking involuntarily as he moved his mouth lower and spread his tongue out against her. He murmured something she couldn't make out, slipping two of his fingers inside her and crooking them while continuing to lick and kiss around her clitoris. Zelda threw her head back, her lower back arching off the blanket. She let her hands drift down to his hair, crying out as he hummed against her and curled his fingers again. She felt dizzy; her head spun and her body shook with little jolts of pleasure.
He stayed put, seeming to relish in the way she tasted, his tongue flattening and curling against her. She wanted to warn him to stop, to tell him she wanted him inside her so he could feel – really feel – what he did to her, but she couldn't find the words in time. The stars in the sky were suddenly behind her eyes and she cried out softly as her body seized around his fingers. Link didn't stop, he stayed right with her until the quivering subsided and she relaxed down into the blanket.
In her haze of dizziness, Zelda heard the faint rustle of fabric and felt Link shuffling beside her. "You're still dressed?" she asked breathlessly.
"Half-dressed," he pointed out, tossing his trousers by their basket of food. He crawled along top of her, kneeling in-between her legs and sliding his hands over her hips before leaning down to kiss her. She let her hands drift down his stomach, taking ahold of his impressive length and savoring the sound that rumbled through his chest. He let her stroke him, panting against her lips as she did. Zelda sat up slightly to get a better hold of him and let out a gasp when Link grabbed her and pulled onto his lap.
He was kneeling when she crawled onto him. Zelda rolled her hips against his, encouraged by his low groan. Link sat back against the blanket, cradling her hips in his hands. Zelda was still feeling the aftershocks of her own climax, her breath slowly returning to normal when he softly asked, "Can I be inside you?"
She opened her eyes, noting how the flush in his cheeks had spread over his neck and chest. His lips were inches from her own, brushing against her skin. Zelda nodded, rising slightly as he shifted underneath her. She quite literally sat down on his lap, sinking down onto his length until her hips were flush against his. Link's head was against her chest, his breath shaky as he tried to hold still. Zelda wrapped her arms around his neck, bending down to kiss him while at the same time she started to roll her hips in gentle circles.
Link had one hand at the back of her hips, the other tangled in her hair. He grunted softly each time she moved, shifting and rocking with her in a slow, steady pace. This was so different than what she had become used to, and Zelda loved it. She loved the sound of Link's voice as he whispered her name, the feel of him throbbing inside her, his hand against her back and in her hair, the way her arms fit perfectly around his neck and shoulders. She opened her eyes for a moment and took in the gentle breeze and the sounds of the waterfalls in the distance; the way the moonlight bathed their skin and the starlight reflected in Link's blue eyes.
"I love you so much," she whispered, pulling his mouth to hers. "Link, I love you so much."
He smiled that goofy lopsided grin against her lips and kissed her back. "I love you, Zelda," he whispered, holding her tightly while she continued to roll her hips.
The tension he released earlier was back again, winding tight inside her exactly where they were connected. Zelda felt dizzy, absolutely bewildered that her body could respond like that again after such a short time. She started to roll her hips harder, craving friction and release. Link picked up on this and slid his hand over her thigh, moving his thumb against the bundle of nerves and slowly stroking her.
"Oh, Gods," Zelda whined, throwing her head back. She felt Link's mouth on her neck and continued to move faster against him. She could feel him tensing, rocking back against her, winding the coil to an almost unbearable tightness. "Link… please!"
He picked her up and laid her back against the blanket, hips sinking deep into hers. Zelda cried out, her body contracting and arching underneath his. Through her haze of pleasure, she could feel Link stiffen, his movements erratic and uncontrolled. He groaned loudly, breathing out her name in ragged pants against her ear, his knees digging into the blanket for leverage as he pushed deeper into her. Zelda wrapped her legs around him, bucking her hips into his erratic movements until finally he cried out then became still.
Link buried his face in her neck and wound his arms around her shoulders. She could feel him breathing slowly against her, trying to come back to sanity. Zelda raked her fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth to hers and kissing him deeply. When he pulled back he paused, a strange little smile on his face.
"I can see the starlight in your eyes," he whispered in awe.
Zelda giggled and pulled him close, sliding her legs over his. Link bent down and kissed her again, and all she could think about was how this was her favorite spot in all the world: wrapped in his arms, her skin against his, their bodies molded together as one.
"Are you happy?" she asked quietly a few moments later.
Link laughed, kissing her softly and pushing her hair from her face. "I am happy whenever I'm with you," he replied, resting his forehead against hers.
It's six months later when Karane and Pipit move to the small village from Skyloft. Zelda can look out her window and see their house across the small square where the merchants are. Out of the other window she can see the tall hill she loved so much and tops of trees in the forest. If she listened hard enough, she'd hear the thundering water from the waterfalls around Lake Floria. Zelda spent a lot of time staring out this window.
"What are you doing?" asked Link, his arms winding around her waist.
"Just thinking," she replied, turning slightly over her shoulder to look at him.
"It's a nice afternoon," he noted, looking out the window. "The sun is shining but there's still a breeze. Do you want to do something?"
Zelda nodded, feeling herself blush. "I was thinking… maybe we could have a picnic," she murmured, looking over her shoulder at Link.
She felt a little thrill in her spine when he looked back at her, that little lopsided grin on his face. "On the hill?"
"Yeah," she replied, laughing lightly. "The hill sounds nice."