A/N. Hi! So this is my 3rd Zelda Oneshot. This one is not very good, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, I have DEFINITELY written better so there is no need to mention how bad you think it is if that is your opinion. If it's a GOOD opinion then i'd love to hear it :D So this one is kind of a mix between AU and... well, Spirit Tracks and Twilight Princess... I guess. I named the creature Malladus because when I wrote this, the only Zelda game I'd ever played was Spirit Tracks. So think of this as AU ok? Thanks. I think that's all... Anyway, enjoy! :D
Disclaimer - I don't own the Legend of Zelda.
"Please don't go," she pleaded him. She gripped his arm tighter, digging her nails into his shirt. One by one, the Hylian man plucked his princess' fingers from his arm.
"Zelda, I am making Hyrule a better and safer place for you." He patted her delicate and gloved hands comfortingly.
"Link, as heir to the queen's throne of Hyrule, I order you to stay!" she stomped her foot for emphasis, making him smile slightly.
"Now, now, Zelda… this trip will benefit Castle Town greatly. I would have thought that the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom would know that." He smirked that slopped grin of his and she couldn't help it when the corners of her lips turned up.
"But-" she started, but was interrupted when Link put a finger to her lips.
"Good-bye my princess." He slowly brought her knuckles to his soft lips and then turned to walk away.
"Wait!" she cried desperately. He stopped but didn't turn. "How will I know if you're alright? Or alive? Or coming back?"
Link sighed and turned around. He realized she was crying. "Here." He took off his blue earring and handed it to her. "If this breaks, I am injured, if you misplace it, I am gone, if it shatters, I am dead." She sniffled, and then looked down at the ocean blue of the earring. It shone more brightly than any star Zelda had ever seen. When she looked back up, he was halfway down the steps.
"What does it mean when it's glowing?" she called to him. He smirked, not that she could see. He pretended not to hear her and kept going. He mounted his horse Epona and with one click of his tongue he was off.
"Good-bye…my love," she whispered into the wind as he rode away. She shed her last tear and headed back inside the castle.
ZELINK
Zelda received many letters over the course of that one year that Link was gone – that one year she was separated from her beloved. But each one only brought her sadness, as she missed him greatly. She wished she could be with him, far away on his travels, exploring the world. But more than anything, she wished to be with him to know that he was safe.
She sent back detailed texts about life in the castle and in exchange, he described his every location with such poetry, she felt that she was truly with him whenever she read it.
One letter, nearly eleven months after his departure, was written by the hero, saying that he would return home by the blood moon. Zelda was ecstatic; but he would not be home in time for the deadline. In one month, she was to select a suitor to rule the kingdom alongside her and produce an heir. Who better than the bearer of the Triforce of Courage? Who better than the hero of Hyrule? Who better than the love of her life, Link Gaiden? But alas, fate was too cruel.
With the due date fast approaching, the princess anxiously awaited her lover's return.
One day before the blood moon, the earring cracked. Horrified, Zelda sent her guards to scour all of Castle Town in the hopes of finding him nearby. The search lasted until sunset; when the guards returned empty-handed, Zelda took matters into her own hands.
In the dead of night, she grabbed a cloak and took a horse deep into the Kokiri forest. She searched frantically until dawn, but fell asleep next to her horse: Sugar.
As the sun continued to rise, four shadows enveloped the princess' body, blocking the light of day from their target.
ZELINK
On the morning of the Blood moon, Link hobbled up the steps to the castle. When spotted, several guards stopped him in his tracks.
"State your name and your business," one said in a monotone voice.
"Link Gaiden. Visiting Princess Zelda," answered the injured traveller. Both warders paled. Eventually, the second on spoke.
"Um, her Royal Highness has been missing since last night." His authoritative aura faltered.
Link's eyes widened and he grabbed the man by his collar. "What do you mean, 'missing'?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"W-Well, it s-seems that she s-stole one of the horses l-last night and ran off," he stuttered nervously. Link shoved him back in frustration and called for his horse.
Epona came galloping out of nowhere and stopped just shy of her master. He mounted her with ease despite his broken leg.
"Sir, wait! You must be treated first!" the other guard called to him, but Link ignored him and set off to find Zelda. But he still heard their whispers as he trotted away.
"And to think, she was going to get married today."
ZELINK
Link managed to track Zelda's horse all the way to Lake Hylia, where he found Sugar's bloody corpse by the water. Zelda was nowhere to be seen. He seethed with rage. If whatever had killed Sugar had done something to Zelda… he gripped the reins so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
He hopped off of Epona, but accidentally landed on his bad leg and yelped in pain as he collapsed into a pile of leaves. Link looked at a nearby tree with matted leaves at the bottom – as if someone had been sitting there. He crawled over to the spot and leaned back against the tree. He could feel it. Zelda had been there.
A montage of her best moments began to play in his mind and his heart fluttered. He put one of his hands on the ground for balance and stumbled across his earring. It was still cracked and glowing brighter than ever. He clutched it as if his life depended on it, then put it back on his ear.
"I will find you, Zelda. I promise."
ZELINK
Exactly one month from that day, on the next blood moon, Link found her. It took weeks of tracking and healing to find her, and when he did, he almost wished he hadn't.
Deep in a cavern below the sea, was a tomb for a creature that supposedly came from another dimension. This creature's name was Malladus. Link didn't know the legend at all, only the name.
It was in this breathable cavern, that Zelda was being held. It took several days of trying to swim far enough to reach it. He used his mighty sword to smash the lock to pieces and threw open the door, swam inside, and then slammed it shut behind him.
Deeper and deeper he went, until he came upon the surface. He poked his head above the water and sucked in a large breath of air. He was inside the cave. He crawled out of the Lake and made his way through the winding tunnels of the creepy tomb.
Eventually, he came across three creatures he had never seen before, huddling around an altar. He listened intently to their conversation from around the corner, using the reflection from his shield to spy on them.
"I can't believe our luck!" the red one exclaimed. "We've managed to keep the princess submerged for a whole month. Finally, on the second blood moon, she will be sacrificed and Malladus will rule once again!" The three of them cheered.
Link couldn't believe his ears. They were going to sacrifice someone of royal blood to resurrect a demon. Link poised to attack.
"But midnight won't come for another fifteen minutes or so, so we'll let him finish having his fun.
"No!" Link screamed and lunged at the kidnappers with his sword. That one sentence had set him off and he was angrier than ever. After nearly ten minutes of battle, all three were dead.
Link spared no time and rushed the very last room at the far back of the cavern. When he opened the door, all the water seemed to drain away, leaving only oxygen behind. What he saw was devastating.
Zelda hung, unconscious, by her wrists that were chained to the wall ten feet above ground. Her dress was literally ripped to shreds, revealing skin and blood in hazardous places. Directly below her was a creature, with shreds of Zelda's clothing between its teeth.
It growled menacingly at Link, but he didn't care. He was going to save Zelda before the clock struck twelve.
"Four minutes left…" the monster growled, leaping at the hanging princess.
Link's eyes blazed and he shot three arrows at the same time. One hit the creature directly in the ear, the other two were aimed at the chains around Zelda's wrists. They split open and she fell to the ground alongside the creature. He bolted for her and gathered her in his arms, taking a moment to peer at her beautiful face, marred with blood.
A spear was lunged through his left shoulder and he screamed in pain. When the weapon was yanked out, he wasted no time in twisting around and swinging his sword at the accursed villain that had dared take the princess of Hyrule. His princess.
His cry had apparently woken the princess, who fluttered her eyes. "Uhn… Link?"
The Hylian turned around at the sound of his name, astonished that she was awake. "Zel-?" He never got to finish her name as he was interrupted by his opponent tackling him from behind. Link's bow was knocked away and he rolled to the side, reached for his shield. He brought it in front of his face just as the spear came down upon it, the sound of metal clashing against metal ringing throughout the room.
He shoved him back, kicking him in the gut before back-rolling to his feet. He grit his teeth as his arm vibrated with pain of every move he made with his shield. Blood dripped down his tunic but he couldn't care less. With a mighty battle cry, he swung his sword at the evil thing.
It rolled to the side before throwing its weapon straight for Link's head. He bent backwards to avoid it and could do nothing but watch as it soared inches above his face. When he straightened, the creature was already closer than he should have been.
They fought hand to hand until a ticking came to Link's attention. One minute until midnight.
On the other side of the room, Zelda awoke fully. She struggled to stand but she eventually did.
50 seconds – She spotted Link and used what was left of her magic to fling a blue fireball at the creature, but it grabbed her hero and used him as a human shield. Zelda's expression was horrified as her magic smacked Link in the chest.
40 seconds – "No!" she shrieked and tried to run to him, but she was too weak and collapsed. The monster was on her as Link was reduced to his knees.
30 seconds – The attacker whispered in her ear how much time she had left. She shivered in fear. Link's sword was plunged through the stomach of the creature. It screamed and screamed and screamed.
20 seconds – Zelda struggled to crawl to the man she loved. She used her elbows to propel herself forward. Link dropped his sword and let it clatter on the stone floor. He was still on his knees. He wrapped one arm around his abdomen and slowly moved forward as the monster's cries quieted.
10 seconds – The kidnapper sat up. It yanked the sword from its body with another yell. It turned to face Zelda with fire in its eyes.
5 seconds – Zelda had passed him, therefore her back was to him. She did not see him.
4 seconds – Link noticed. His expression changed to that of one who was witnessing a horror. He reached for her hand.
3 seconds – He grabbed it and yanked her to him with as much strength as he could muster. She was sprawled forward on the ground, but she wasn't far enough.
2 seconds – The monster raised the sword. Link raised a knee, preparing himself to be launched forward.
1 second – He threw himself forward, the sword was brought down before he could stop it. He tackled the creature as Zelda's screams penetrated his ears and haunted his very soul. When they hit the ground, the Thing was already dead, having bled out from the stabbing not too long ago.
Link whirled around to face Zelda. His own sword was buried in her calf. Blood spilled from the wound like a fountain. "ZELDA!" he screeched. He made his way over to her and took her face in his hands. She was pale as a corpse but tears leaked down her face. Her face was twisted in agony and her eyes were closed. She sobbed uncontrollably.
She visibly became weaker faster than Link thought possible. "I… love… you… my… hero," she whispered. Her head lolled.
Link's own tears fell, but he barely noticed. She loved him. She had loved him all this time and he left after she begged him not to. If he had stayed to protect her from up close instead of far away, they could have been married by now.
All of a sudden, the ground began to shake and quake violently. Link cradled the love of his life in his arms and held her close. Malladus had been awakened. Small stones fell from the ceiling and the walls as the place shook. When it stopped, nothing happened.
Not thinking about it twice, Link sheathed his sword and other weapons before carrying Zelda bridal style and taking her out of the cave. The water would be hard to avoid, but he would get her help if he had to take her all the way back to Hyrule on foot himself.
Not long after they'd left did a pair of red eyes appear in the darkness of the cave.
Part Two
Link wanted so badly to just take his true love and run; run from the society that wouldn't allow him to marry her, run from her family who hated him for making that was supposedly mythological, but no. She needed a doctor – the best doctor. And for that, she would be recognized and ripped away from him for accused of kidnapping.
He took her to the best doctor in Castle Town to heal her. Several guards were there within minutes to interrogate Link. He let them take him to the dungeon because as long as his lovely princess was safe and sound, he could live through every torture imaginable.
One day, some weeks after he'd been sentenced, the guards released him. "You are free… by order of the princess. Er, technically."
"What do you mean, 'technically'?" Link asked suspiciously while rubbing his ankles.
"Well… she hadn't awoken since her return to the castle, and she had fallen terminally ill," the guard announced nervously. Link's eyes widened. "Only recently has she started to mumble your name and with each passing day, she is closer to her doom. You are our last hope to save her." The guards bowed but Link was already halfway gone.
Not two minutes later, he reached the princess' chambers and burst in. "Zelda!" He cried when he saw. She looked like a corpse. Her skin was a chalky pale and he couldn't see the rise and fall of her chest. Her face was blank and she was inhumanly still. Link swore under his breath.
He approached her and knelt down beside his bed as the mais scurried away to give them privacy. He gently took her hand – cold and lifeless. The mark of the Triforce on her hand was fading. Link looked at his own mark, they appeared to be glowing. He mustered up all his courage and kissed her hand.
"I'm here Zelda," he began, "I will always be here for you. I will never leave your side again because… I love you. I always have. I'm sorry I left; I thought I could protect the kingdom from outside, therefore protecting you, but I should have been by your side until the bitter end. I'm sorry I couldn't have spared you your pain, and I want you to be happy… and alive," he added.
One tear slid down his cheek, more and more until he was sobbing uncontrollably. He laid his head on her bed and began to cry. He cried for all the love he never gave her, for all the sadness she had endured until his return, for all the pain she had taken from the creatures, for all the people of Hyrule who might be without an heir, for the demon that would surely destroy the kingdom should she die. She was the key to its resurrection. If she was still alive, Malladus could not leave the cave. He cried harder and soon his hand became warm. He looked at it.
Both triforces were glowing brightly. In a surge of hope, the green clad hero squeezed her hand and concentrated with all his might on healing her. "I love you," he whispered, "I LOVE YOU!" he screamed.
There was a flash of golden light and the two were transported to a world of clouds. Zelda awoke first – in complete health. Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned. Then she spotted Link. He was on the ground a few feet away.
"Link…" she squeaked. She began to crawl over to him and touched his cheek. "Is this real?" At that moment, he opened his eyes to see her face.
"Zelda!" he exclaimed, sitting up and hugging her tightly. "You're alright!"
"You both are," said a voice. The couple jumped and Link reached for his weapons – but they had all disappeared.
"You need not be afraid. We are the goddesses." Link and Zelda gasped. "Zelda Harkinian, because your blood was shed at midnight on a blood moon, Malladus has awakened, however he remains trapped in his tomb. The moment you die, he will be released and chaos will ensue. And so, to please everyone, my sister and I will make the two of you immortal until you are of passing age which is when you will both be reincarnated and fall in love once again for all of eternity. There will never be a moment when you are 'dead'."
Link and Zelda looked at each other. "That… is brilliant," they agreed, too happy to believe that anything was true.
"Very well, but be warned. Should someone release Malladus physically, the princess will die instantly." Somewhat less happy, but happy none the less, both Hylians nodded.
Link awoke back in Zelda's bedroom. She was staring at him and smiling. The colour had returned to her cheeks and her eyes were bright.
"Zelda!" He pressed his lips to hers, not wasting a single second – he knew what could happen in a second.
"I love you and I always will," she murmured against his lips. "Again and again and again."