I don't own the Legend of Zelda
Link opened his eyes, sleepily. He glanced lazily at the cuckoo clock which hung on his wall, then jumped out of bed as if he was burned.
"Oh no! I slept in again, I'll be late if I don't hurry!" He said urgently as he rushed around the room, gathering a change of clothes in his arms before heading to the bathroom for a quick wash. He was going to visit Ghirahim, his lover, so he had to look his best, even if it made him late. These days the prospect of seeing Ghirahim was all that got Link up most mornings, he had nothing else to look forward to. He changed into his usual green uniform, with the addition of a black ribbon around his wrist, which he always wore as a reminder of his love. He hurriedly brushed his dark blonde hair, which was sticking up at all angles. He smiled a little to himself, thinking of what Ghirahim would say if he could see his bed hair; he'd probably make a big fuss about it, not that Link would have minded. After he looked slightly more presentable, Link walked purposely out of the academy.
He soon passed a group of gossiping women, who's baskets were laden with washing. They spotted the hero in green straight away, and naturally he became the topic of their conversation.
"There he goes again,always in a hurry, not like my boy who sits around tinkering all day." Greba, Gondo's mother, shook her head thinking bitterly of her son's time wasting.
"He's going down to the surface again. Poor boy, I don't know why he puts himself through that. He's just going to get hurt." Goselle, Rupin's mother, said as she sighed and fanned herself with her elegant pink and white fan.
"Well, I think it's sweet." Mallara, Pipit's mother, replied as she bent down to pick up a stray sock that had fallen from her tottering pile of washing.
Link just ignored them, they didn't understand that Ghirahim was everything to him. He had to see him because he needed him and he loved him more than life itself. He made a run at the wooden platform in the plaza and as he jumped, he whistled for his bird. The huge crimson loftwing swooped down and caught his master with ease. Link clung onto the soft feathers and directed his bird towards Faron woods. He landed a moment later just outside a small settlement that had been built fairly recently. Here and there some houses were still under construction. Link could smell the saw dust and hear the regular rhythm of a saw and the banging of hammers as people worked hard to make their homes.
Link made a beeline for a small shop, which was built into a hollow tree. Inside plants of all kinds grew in various containers, some in jam jars, other's in large, decorative pots. The air was fragrant and thick ivy crawled up one wall; it's pot had long given up trying to contain it. In the dim light ancient flowers glowed faintly, eerily illuminating Peatrice's face. She sat on a little three legged stool behind the counter, her chin resting on her hand. She had quit working at the item check, to her father's horror, to open her own florists on the surface; a job which she thought would be exciting and romantic but she was sadly mistaken. She had hoped that it would make finding a boyfriend easier but so far no one gave her a second glance. It was almost as boring as working at the item check. The only boys who came in were already taken and were just looking for gifts for their sweethearts. Peatrice sighed, wishing that someone would buy her some flowers, for once.
"Hi Link, have you come to see how beautiful I look or do you just want the usual?" She asked in a bored tone.
"The usual please." Link was so used to Peatrice's lack of interest in her job that he hardly noticed it anymore.
"Of course you do." She sighed again and slowly got up from the counter to prepare Link's bouquet. "Do you want a ribbon?" She asked with her back to him.
"Yeah, a red one please."
She handed him a bouquet of red roses, Ghirahim's favourite, which was wrapped in white paper and tied with a red, silk bow.
That'll be 20 rupees." Peatrice settled back onto her little stool, a look of pure boredom etched on her face.
Link handed the ruby red rupee across the counter and walked out, bouquet in hand. Peatrice watched him go and sighed a third time. "It's a shame..." She said to herself before she returned to her daydream and stared vacantly into space.
Link clutched the flowers but was careful to not crush them, they had to be perfect. He took a path through the lush and thick forest. He had taken this path so many times that he could do it in his sleep. Soon he came to a quiet, secluded area which felt sacred somehow. It was peaceful, the only sound was that of a bird's gentle song.
"I'm here, sorry I'm late. I got you some flowers, they're your favourites." He said as he walked towards the middle of the clearing. There was a gravestone which bore the words:
Here lies Lord Ghirahim,
Who tragically fell in his final battle, he died as he had lived, bravely.
He will be greatly missed.
R.I.P.
Link knelt down to put the flowers on the grave. He had been keeping the grave clean of weeds these past 8 months, through thoughtful care and attention, treating it as a true labour of love.
"They're building more houses you know." He spoke softly to the grave, as if Ghirahim could still hear him. "Soon the whole of Skyloft will move down here, I wish you could see it. I wish I could have shown you Skyloft, I think you would have liked it. There's many things I wish I could have done, but it's too late now, isn't it?" Silent tears that Link had kept bottled up all day ran down his face and fell onto the earth where Ghirahim's remains lay far below where Link could never hope to reach him. Link knelt there for what felt like hours but eventually he got up reluctantly and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
"I've got to go now, Ghirahim but I'll be back tommorow, ok? I'll bring you some more flowers. You always liked it when I gave you flowers, didn't you?" He started to walk away but then he paused and glanced back at the grave for a moment. "I'll always love you, you know that? And you'll always love me too, right?" Link spoke in a low tone as he gazed, forlorn, at the stone. The grave remained silent and he sighed and trudged back home, with fresh tear stains on his face and a heavy heart.