A/N: Thanks for reviews...otherwise I probably would not have written this second chapter, which was written listening to Dashboard Confessional, and then the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King soundtrack. How's THAT for a random useless fact for you! Well, yeah, anyway...read and review please, let me know what you thought. Constructive criticism is more than welcome – if there's anything I can do to improve my writing, let me know, either by emailing me (Eowyn727@aol.com) or reviewing, or IMing me on SageofWisdom7. Thanks much! Oh, oh, and further proof that The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King owns you – they got ELEVEN nominations for the Oscars. So take that up your bum hole.
Disclaimer: I own not. You sue not. 'Cept the stuff in the aforementioned chapter. If you missed it, GO BACK and read the disclaimer there.
And now...
Flaxen: Chapter One
The fire...it was everywhere. It almost caused his skin to blister. It reminded him of the Fire Temple and Death Mountain Crater, only this time he had no tunic to ease the heat surrounding him. A faint woman's voice...pleading...begging...crying...he wished he could help her, but he couldn't. She would die. The fire drew in closer and closer to him, until finally, it engulfed him. Even writhing and screaming in the intense warmth he felt a damp coolness on his forehead and another, more familiar, woman's voice calling to him, calling....
"Link, please wake up...you're dreaming...please tell me I didn't ride all this way...." He obeyed the orders, knowing she could heal him, and her alone....
Link's eyelids fluttered open, revealing deep, sapphire-colored eyes that immediately focused on cerulean ones above him.
"I heard you," he whispered hoarsely, which earned him one of her fingers over his lips, silencing him. He pushed aside the urge to kiss it. "Before you ask," she continued, "I had to come see you again. Lift up your head." He did and she lifted a goblet to his lips, letting him drink water until his throat was soothed. She then adjusted the cool damp cloth that rested on his forehead.
"I had a dream, and wanted to make sure your dreams were still peaceful. Obviously they aren't." Her last sentence was laced in concern, and he reached up and touched her cheek gently, his callused fingers (from bows and swords and giant hammers) rough against her smooth, ivory skin.
"I found my solace." She offered one of her truly angelic smiles, one that made his stomach twist in a painful knot.
"What will you do once I have to leave again? I can stay only three days; that is how long my supply of clothes lasts, and my father would send somebody after me any longer than three days...if he doesn't already." Link sat up then, the cloth falling onto his lap and his head erupting into pain that screamed in his ears.
"Your father is too strict." She sighed heavily and got up, walked over to the doorway and pushed back a bit of the tattered cloth covering the opening. Link stared down at the bed to try and stop his eyes from wandering.
"You think I haven't noticed?" she said dryly. "I'm not the Sage of Wisdom for nothing, you know." He looked up and could clearly see the Triforce of Wisdom illuminated on the back of her hand, pulsing along with her heartbeat. He could feel his Triforce, that of Courage, on the back of his hand, pulsing along with hers, both of their heartbeats synchronized.
"I overheard he and Impa talking about me the other day. I heard from his own mouth that I remind him of my mother – and he didn't sound very pleased." She turned to face him, her eyes filled with a sort of longing. "He said he thinks the end is coming soon for him, and that he does not want the burden of ruling set on my shoulders just yet.
"I am afraid that once he does pass away, I will not be able to rule such a prosperous, successful kingdom. But I will have to, even sooner than my father thinks, for I have my reasons for believing that my dreams of late are connected to this, and the soon-to-be destiny of Hyrule falling in my hands."
"Perhaps. Has he mentioned a marriage for you any?"
"Of course...just not to me. That's another thing I wish; that he could talk to me, and not just to my protector. It is my future, after all. I'm sorry, I sound incredibly selfish." She resisted adding, "Like my father."
"Zelda," said Link, standing, "it wasn't selfish...and I'm really glad you could talk to me about this."
"You're the one person I share everything with," she looked up at him with a bit of a surprised look on her face. "You know everything there is and everything there will be to know about me. Though I feel like I've lost you, somewhat. I'm not mad, Link, I never have been mad at you...I'm just curious." Her look was that of classic-Zelda-anxiety. He had crossed the very small room in one stride, and took her hands in his, kissing the knuckles of each.
"The dreams are of my mother, that's all. There is nothing to worry about as of now, and if there is...I'll let you know."
"Promise?" she asked, though the smile didn't quite make it to her eyes.
"Promise."