Grasp
"I'm sorry. I can't."
"Why not?"
"I want us to be good friends, Link. I really do…but…"
"Zelda, why can't we be together? I do want to be your friend! I wish I could be more than your friend! Why don't you want to…can't we?"
"No. I…I'm already…"
"Why?"
"I already love someone else."
Crushing, yes. The burdening weight on my heart is like feeling his wrath, a hundred times over.
When she said those words…well, I broke. It broke me, hearing that she was already in love with someone, that she wanted to be with him forever, to hear her babbling about him. It hurt me.
It's why I ran from the castle that day. It's why I ran into Termina. It's why I ran out of Termina, too. Was it her? She saved me more than once, during my never-ending tomorrows. Now, I ask myself-did I run out of Termina, to find her again?
I sure hope I didn't. I've got a hundred other things I want to do, than to see her again. She loves someone else, she said. I loved her, but I…
I've been running away from everyone, because of how sad I was. How broken I was. Whether I did it out of the kindness of my heart, to not bother her, or anyone again, or whether it was just so I, the supposedly bravest person ever, could wallow in my misery…well, I don't know.
Well, I guess I did. It was my own self-pity. That's what drove me. Is this that last bit of courage I have, to ride to these castle walls, to talk with her one last time? I've rehearsed it…in my head-ah, what's the use; I'm here already, so might as well get it over and done with. I guess it's time I stopped running, and talked with her, and try and get it off my conscience. Or my soul…whatever, anyway.
The Castle Town is still the same as ever, lively, full of energy. I'm stopping, looking in the water, wondering if I look presentable enough to talk with her.
Jeez! I'm worrying about my appearance now. How. Lame. Am. I?
I should just…well, I had a plan to just go in and talk and walk off. Simple, clean, efficient. So, why am I stopping to see how I look? Are my boots clean? Should I buy her flowers?
Heck, why should I buy her flowers? Goddesses…
"Would you like some chocolates?" It's one of those old ladies; always bothered the crap outta me in the towns. Chocolates? Yeah, maybe she'd like them-
"Get a grip of yourself, man!" I curse violently. Ooops; old lady's a bit pissed off. Well, I guess I'd better not stay any longer. At this rate, I'll have bought her a new wardrobe before I start off to the Castle.
I walk round to the gate, where the Gate Guard is. Making sure no-one sees, I vault over the ledges, toward the moat…
And over the wall I went. Sneaking past the guards, sneaking past Impa, who was drinking soup by the window in the dining room. Sneaking down through that hallowed archway, to the courtyard…
She's there, alone.
"Hello…" I murmur quietly. "Zelda."
No rushing forward in an instant to embrace me. No crying, no saying "I've missed you". Nothing. Just a quiet little smile.
Giggling?
She thinks I look funny? Goddesses. I guess…I guess I really shouldn't have come.
"I…uhh, I head you were getting married soon…congratulations." I say it stiffly, not in that empathic, sweet manner I had intended. Mentally, I'm chiding myself; why I am I so stupid? Why…why can't I just be me?
"Why thank you. I haven't seen you for a long while. I haven't heard of where you've been either. No-one has." The sweet face, the face of an angel, stares at me, inquiringly.
"I've been…around. That's all."
"Oh? Why did you come back?"
"Anyways, I've been meaning to say, I'm going to be getting off for a bit."
"You didn't answer me…"
"And I don't think I'll be around for awhile. I mean, it doesn't look like anything's going to come up anytime soon, so I figured I need a break."
"Link. Answer me. Why did you come back?"
I really can't ignore her this time. If I do…well, who knows what what'd happen? I don't; I don't think that far ahead.
"Well, I just came back to see an old friend, that's all." Again, the wound opens, and the salt pours in.
"Oh, I see." Was it disappointment I heard? No. Can't be. Must have fooled myself.
"Anyways, congratulations again. I've really got to go, somewhere I've been meaning to go to for a while now. I'm off. Bye!" I try to say it cheerfully, but even to myself I sound choked.
"Goodbye, Link." It's a soft reply, tinged with…aww, forget it. Don't know what the heck it was. I'm outta here.
The wind whips across my back, as Epona and I knife our way through the hot desert. Her hoof beats rhythmically set the ground to a wandering pace.
Will I ever be free of her? I don't know. The Gerudos have said I'm free to live with them for as long as I want. I decided against it; instead, I've heard of a band of monks and nuns who pay homage to the Goddesses that live up on the tall desert mountains.
At the foot of the mountain is a village, where the monks and nuns help people. It's just in the Hyrule jurisdiction and land. I think it's the place I've been looking for; a place of my homeland, where I can rest for a bit. I may or may not join them; I need to think of what I want to do.
I've got to ask myself; am I running away? One part of me says I am. The other is saying that it's better that I leave her; she's getting married, to someone who she said she loves! Me…well, I guess I'll spend the rest of my days in solitude, just fighting, just wandering. Never free of her grasp.
It means I am running away. But, I believe I'm running away for a justified purpose. But…still, whatever feelings I've had for her, they'll never die.
Goodnight, Zelda. I love you.
I have no idea what I just wrote. Weird…Re-edited. Physics sucks my basketballs. Literally; NBA Legend balls rule! However, I'm sorry about the crappiness of the un-edited version…I wrote this right before my Maths exam, so yeah…I didn't concentrate it. I hope you like this edited version, and I do believe that once I finish some random dude thingos, maybe this will have a sequel. Until then-
Adios, Amigos!
