'No wonder' I thought, my mouth forming a thin line. I was on...some sort of airship, something that is not even suspected on in my homeland, and instead of savoring the view the height provided, I kept staring at my reflection on the glass and getting distracted by the green color of the fields below. The mind's eye, as usual, distracted the body's eyes and I ended up not really seeing anything of what passed before my eyes. And they kept wandering back to the reflection of my own face. Dirty blonde hair, slim face, a straight, aristocratic nose, gray eyes, pale skin...my mouth contracted a tad more, my brow furrowing.
'Such plain features...it really is no wonder that he does not want to spend time with me anymore'
Of course, I am aware that grieving over such things is...childish, to say the least, the more because I am perfectly aware that my face is anything but plain. I have had far too many suitors to think otherwise, suitors that kept telling me over and over again how my beauty was well known, even in other countries...really, I wonder where men got the idea that saying that kind of things would make any woman glad to be considered theirs. How they would have reacted if I had told them that the rumors of the 'Beautiful Princess Zelda" held just as much value to me as a pile of deku nuts...well, the thought alone is enough to make me chuckle a little. But I drabble...I am aware of how idiotic and immature it is for me to think in such a manner but...but I could not really help feeling a little tightness somewhere around the left side of my chest as those thoughts danced around my mind.
"Hey, Zellie" someone called behind me "Sulking again?" My eyes moved from my own reflection to the one of the person behind me.
"Peach" I said softly, giving her a faint smile as I turned. She has the perturbing ability to know exactly what worries me, and yet, I never miss a chance to try and fool her "I do not know what you mean, I am admiring how the land looks from here" she clearly did not 'buy it' (As she often says, regarding, for example, Mr. Snake's tales about his so-called romance with Miss Samus) and walked to me, pouting, her arms folded in front of her chest.
"OK, speak up" she said.
"A-about what?" I said. I might have as well have saved my breath. She pinched my cheeks mischievously, making me give a surprised cry, caught off my guard.
"Stop that" she said, still pouting, though the corners of her mouth where slightly curled up, her slim fingers still pulling the skin of my face with all their might.
"I-yould-ye-the-one-to-say-dat" I managed, struggling against the ever growing impulse to sake her off with the little composure I still possessed.
"I mean it, Zellie" she said, moving her face closer to mine and staring me into the eyes, not noticing (Or perhaps noticing, but deciding to ignore) my discomfort about her doing that "I can tell you're bashing your own self esteem from miles away and I don't like you to. So stop"
"Yed, yed, you-oin. Can-u-let-e-go-now?" I asked.
"Oh, right" she said innocently, releasing my face with an obliviously gleeful smile "Sorry, dear" I was rubbing my aching cheeks, staring at her gingerly. What I often find unnerving about her apparent innocence is that I do not know whether she really is like that or if she is just feigning.
"Now, as I was saying" she continued "You've obviously got it wrong, I'm sure it's not what you think, so stop being so negative"
"I still do not know what you are talking about" I said out of pride. That incredibly hyperactive princess and I had become close friends in a quite short amount of time, but I was still reluctant about letting her read me that easily...again, matter of pride. And, as usual, she was not 'buying it'.
"OK, make me say it" she said, after a sigh "I'm talking about Link"
An unnatural heat climbed to my face. I cleared my throat.
"Peach" I began, trying to sound reasonable and managing the contrary "I do not know where you got this idea, but-"
"Zelda, dearie, don't insult my intelligence. I'm perfectly aware that you've liked him for quite a while now"
The heat increased to a point where I thought there would be smoke coming out of my ears and she giggled.
"Take it easy, Zellie, or you won't have enough blood left for the rest of your body"
"Q-quiet!" I breathed out "I repeat myself, you got the wrong idea!"
"OK, then, let's rememorize, shall we?" she said, holding up her index finger "If memory serves right, you were really melancholic before the fighting event between Mario and Kirby began because of a certain Peter Pan cosplayer's absence"
"N-n-I was not-!"
"Please, dearie, we both know you were. And I don't blame you, really. After all, as your knight, he should have been your champion on that event instead of Kirby"
I focused my eyes on the window again, hoping she would not see the hurt in them.
"He had matters to attend, and I respect that" I said, trying to sound calm. I failed epically, and lied. True, perhaps I had made myself accept it, but that certainly did not mean I had not, even if for a moment, thought it was an awfully silly excuse and that Link should have been at least direct enough to tell me the real reason why he would not spend any time with me at all lately.
"Did he, now?" continued Peach, and I knew she had realized just by her tone "Also, when Mr. Snake and his friends rescued us, I noticed you were kinda disappointed"
I frowned slightly. Well, yes perhaps I had been slightly...just slightly disappointed that Link had not...even come to my rescue after what happened...but I had done my best so that no one could notice it, as a sign of respect for Mr. Snake, Mr. Lucario and Mr. Meta Knight. I had clearly failed. I must have made a face, because Peach quickly added:
"Oh, don't worry, Zellie, they didn't notice a thing" she winked at me conspiratorially "I did, because I'm also a girl!"
"You are imagining things, Peach" I said.
"Am I?" she continued "Then I present exhibit C! Right now you are worried about what will happen when you and Link meet again"
Goddesses, how could someone be so right while wearing such a carefree fa ade? I felt my brow knit.
From the moment Peach had told us (Translating for and Watch's beeping) that Mario had made a team with an angel called Pit, Kirby, Yoshi and Link, and that we'd be meeting them, along with teams of comrades in this battle against the Subspace very soon, the heartache I had nearly forgotten over the truthfully stressing events that had happened to us lately returned. I was worried that he still would not spend any time with me, I was worried that he would not talk about his reasons, but most of all, I was worried that when he did, he would say it was because he didn't want to, because I am not that important to him, because there is someone he values even over me. I am perfectly aware that things like that cannot kill, but at the moment, I felt like it would. Selfish and all, to even think of hearing him say that I am not the most important person for him it made me unspeakably sad.
"Even if you were right" I said, and she rolled her eyes at the 'If' "Even if I did feel something for him I am but a friend. I have no right to claim his time for myself. My feelings should not be the reason for him to stay if he does not want to. After all, friends are supposed to let friends go, is it not?"
"Yeah well, I've never quite understood that" Peach said, placing her hand on her chin, pensive "Breaking someone's heart is really no way to begin a friendship with them" I gave a chuckle, shaking my head and she giggled a bit, lowering her upper torso so that her face was in front of me.
"You're being silly" she was not mocking me anymore, her expression was comprehensive "I have already told you, boys will be boys and sometimes they are just as confused as we are. I'm sure Link feels the same way for you" I scoffed and she continued "I truly am! But he probably thought he needed to get away for a while to clear his mind, that's all"
"Really?" I said skeptically, not bothering to deny anything anymore "Did Mr. Mario ever need to?"
"Nope! But you must remember, Link is a moron and Mario isn't"
I blinked, and before I could ask any further questions, a voice talked through the...what is the word? Ah, speakers, I believe.
"All right, ladies!" said 's hoarse voice "We're already at the meeting point, so prepare to land. Meaning, hold onto anything real tight!" as he said this, the airship shook and waved under our feet, and then sharply tipped to one side, throwing both Peach and I to the air between surprised cries. The noise of the ship's...ah, I forgot the words...oh, yes, exhaust pipes as they made contact with the earth below us told us we had landed, with the downside that I had fallen face-first to the floor, and Peach was now sitting on me, giggling.
"It's really funny when this happens!" she said between laughs.
I took a deep breath and let it go as slowly as I could, trying in vain to make my pulse run normally. I could not help it, as much as I tried not to act like an infatuated child, my body kept trying otherwise. Mr. Lucario had surprised me a short while before by asking me if I had a fever. At my negative reply, he insisted no more, but I could not help but wonder if my face was that flushed.
"Take it easy, dear" Peach whispered to me encouragingly, I took another deep breath.
"I try" I replied, my voice a whisper, and it was true, but my mind raced between the possibilities, making me even more anxious. What if Link said what I had been fearing so much? Peach realizing this, sighed and put a hand on my shoulder, showing me her support. My hands, intertwined before me, shook visibly as the airship's door became open. The sunlight was, at first, too blinding for me. I blinked frantically, and suddenly heard a delighted cry on Peach's behalf, as she rushed forward, lifting her skirts just enough to allow her to run.
"Mario!" she called. As my eyes became used to the light, I saw her hugging her champion, covering his plump face with kisses. They were not the only ones reuniting; around us, Mr. Falco and Mr. Fox shook hands, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong danced around, glad to be finally on safe ground, Red and Lucas laughed merrily. Friends seeing and hugging each other again, smiles, laughter...I almost felt jealous of all of them, of their happiness, of the certainty.
"Princess!" said a well-known voice and my breath hitched inside my chest "Princess Zelda!"
'Oh, Goddesses'
"Your Majesty" called Lucario softly, probably noticing my sudden weakness "Are you alright?" I nodded, clearing my throat, fighting the shivers of my body and turning my face to the direction where the voice had come from.
Link was there, slightly wounded, dirty and seemingly really tired but there. He stared at me in a way I could not quite identify. Was it shame? Worry? I simply could not tell. Then, suddenly, he seemed to remember something and bowed at me. I smiled at him, hoping my smile would not be too obvious as to the sudden acceleration of my heartbeat and gave a vacillating step, noticing how everyone's voices were beginning to fade and all eyes were set on us. 'So much for subtlety...' I thought, as I caught a glimpse of Mr. Snake nudging Mr. Lucario with a knowing smile, and, once I made sure my legs were not giving up, began walking.
Even my wildest dreams had not prepared me for what happened. I heard Link's boots as he ran and stopped on my tracks, my eyes widening. He caught me, putting his strong arms around me, pressing me to his own chest. I felt his smell grass, pine trees, mornings. My eyes had suddenly grown damp, I was so happy to be held like that! And by him, no less!
"I'm so glad that you're OK!" he said in a shaky whisper that tickled my ear in a completely not unpleasant way "I thought you were..." he drifted off, and I heard him gulp, as though swallowing the knot inside his throat, and he held me tighter, and I cannot say I minded at all. I was too happy, because his touch, the quiver of his voice and the beating of his heart told me what I needed to hear, what I had feared I would only hear in my imagination. That, at least for the moment, there was no one more important to him than me. I did not even think about how everyone was staring at us; how Peach, holding hands with Mario, was rising her thumb at me, how Pit seemed excited, how Lucas and Red where giggling, covering their grinning lips with their little hands. I took my resolution 'How does Mr. Fox say it...? Here goes nothing' My hands shakily clung to his tunic and I closed my eyes, bracing myself, and pressed my lips to his. Yes, I am sure I am not really a good kisser, but Link returned the kiss softly, naturally. My doubts disappeared with that kiss; I knew he returned my feelings and that he was not going to leave me again.
I still do not know who begun the applause, but eventually everyone had joined. It was among this applause that Link and I parted our lips, smiling to each other.
C.C. (a) the author here. I have something to say: There aren't enough 'Subspace Emissary' fanfics. We have to do soemthing about it...end of message.
Reviews are very welcome.