This is sad. Turn back now if you hated Grave of The Fireflies, although aside from the deaths its a great story.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda or Zelda's quote in the summary.
Claimer: Eron is an OC, and I own the plot.
She took a ring from him and slipped it onto her slender finger, nodding. Link swallowed the emotion rising inside of him. Zelda had every right to marry Eron, if she wanted to. So why did Link so despise the other boy?
Link turned again to avoid seeing the other two clasp hands and walk away through the secret garden. Together. Zelda deserved better than either Link or Eron could offer, he though bitterly. Twilight fell, and the deep purples reflected Link's feelings. Why? Why had this happened?
He sat on a rock and buried his face in his hands. He stayed that way for a long time. Then he pulled out a blue object and blew into it, producing a sweet melody. It was Zelda's Lullaby. The notes faltered. She had once loved him. What had changed in her? Or had it been he that had changed?
Link no longer was happy. The feeling was replaced by one that he knew well, but had not felt in a long time.
Utter loneliness. Despair. Solitude.
He still loved her. He always would. She had believed in him, and loved him for who he was. And he felt the same way. She had once told him, long ago, that he had appeared to her as a beam of sunlight in a dark word. And he felt the same way. A cloud was now threatening to block out his one sunbeam, however, and he felt weak, weak with the knowledge that sunlight isn't solid. He could not hold her. He could not love her anymore. He could never feel the same way around her again, and he knew that she couldn't, either. He despaired for a long time. He knew that come tomorrow, Zelda would be wed to the knight, and Link would have to feign happiness.
And in the back of his mind lingered the nagging feeling that he had never belonged anywhere.
Link scowled. He was Eron's best man, but he was sure that it was just to spite him. He had agreed, though. It was Zelda's day to be happy, and he couldn't let onto how utterly miserable he was.
The courtyard was decorated in beautiful white and pink peace roses. Folded paper and streamers festively decorated the stone walls, and the Triforce was all over, a painful reminder of all that Link had been through with Zelda.
Then in strutted the flower girls, spreading the same pink and white flowers over the floor. Zelda appeared next, escorted down the aisle by her top knight. She was stunning.
Her dress was a plain, cream color, creased at the waist. It fell down in a long, silken train, which was held by a pale, nervous girl with red hair. Zelda's own hair fell around her soft face in perfect ringlets, held at the top with a bun. The bun was clasped with a gold clip in the shape of her family crest. The veil flowed around her like a wreath of fog, and golden earrings dangled on either side of her gentle face. Several other golden assets adorned her, such as a thin, well crafted bracelet that resembled ivy. She was wearing silk gloves that went up past her elbows. Her sleeves poufed at the shoulders.
Link could tell that the bride was wearing no makeup, but she was insanely beautiful. She was managing to keep a straight face, but she was nearly glowing with happiness.
Eron greeted his radiant bride with a kiss, carefully placed on her cheek. He was wearing a nice outfit, not especially handsome, but certainly nicer than Link's.
The vows were said. The bride was kissed.
The wedding reception was just as good as the wedding, but Link spent most of his time sitting alone, staring at the wall. He nearly jumped when Zelda touched his shoulder softly.
"May I have this dance?" She extended a gloved hand. Link nodded. He remembered how nervous he had been the first time she had asked this question.
"Zelda, I don't dance. I can't dance!" He had stammered, backing away in fear. She had just laughed in her beautiful voice, and said:
"Come on! Try it – how do you know you can't do something until you've tried it? At least then you'll have proof, so never again will a girl ask you to dance." She put her hand on his waist. "Here – now, my hand goes here, and yours – yes! And one, two, three, one, two, three...there! See? You can dance, Link!"
One, two, three, one, two, three...the two seemed to dance for an eternity. Link alost forgot his pain as he stared into her deep, wise eyes, wells full of knowledge and pain, but also brimming with joy. The eyes that had given him the will to live for this long. And she stared right back at him; neither noticed the seething glare they were fetching from Eron.
But all good things must come to an end. Soon, Zelda danced with her husband again.
Seasons passed in front of him, their harsh weather not quite piercing the dull ache that grew daily in his chest.
Other than that, the kingdom knew peace. Mostly.
She was fading away in front of his eyes. He never left her bedside. He was always with her.
Link, not Eron.
Zelda was on her deathbed. Her own husband went on with life as if everything was normal, but she was not. She had grown pale, and her beauty had long ago deserted her. For Link, it was like watching the sun go out. Through the years, he had always, unfalteringly loved her. The only person who had ever understood him...she would be gone. He would be alone for good.
She took a rasping breath, and her eyes fluttered. She opened them, but stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Link..." She asked, softly.
"I'm here. I'm still here." He assured her, his voice cracking as he realized that this might be the last time she ever spoke to him.
"Link...get...Eron..."
"Why?"
"I have...to say...good...bye."
Link paused, choking on greif. "Zelda...he's...not here. He left this morning, alone, to do some other quest. He's gone."
To his surprise, Zelda laughed weakly. "I knew it. He...he...ran...away." She looked at him, her eyes suddenly clearing. "Link..."
He clasped her hand, to reassure her.
"Link...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I...I was heartless. Eron...he...he only loved me for my beauty, and possibly...my power." Link could see that talking was a great effort for her.
"No. No, Zelda, don't be sorry. Just don't talk. Please."
"Link...no. I's my fault. I hurt you, and I can't set things right. You are the only one...that I could truly love. I've...just realized...that, and now...now...now it's too late." She was crying silently at this point, and he was, too.
"Link..."
"Yes?"
"We...will...meet...again. In another...life." She gasped.
"Zelda." Link said, kissing her hand. "I love you. Very much." His voice softened. "I love you, Zelda."
"Link...I..." Her words ended abruptly. He looked up. Her eyes were dull.
She was gone.
He wouldn't ever see her again.
He closed her eyes gently and brushed away her final tears. Then he pulled a sheet over her head, put his head in his hands, and wept.
Link did, not Eron.
It was evening when he left the castle, galloping through thick rain as fast as he could. There was nothing more for him at the castle. He didn't know where he would go. He just knew that wherever it was, it was far away.
Link couldn't see anything through the rain and fog except for dark shapes, and he gave no thought to the danger he and his horse were in. He didn't even think of it until he had stumbled right in.
An arrow peirced his shoulder, and he fell of of Epona as she reared. Many sleepless nights had taken their toll.
As he lay on his back, looking into the rain, an especially familiar dark shape appeared.
"You..." Link said. He sat up, spattering mud around. "You coward! You ran away! You left her!" He sobbed.
"And just what were you doing?" Eron asked. "Running away too, hm?"
Link stood up slowly and bowed his head in greif. "Zelda passed away yesterday." He raised his head. "But you wouldn't know that! You weren't there for her!" He yelled, unsheathing the Master Sword. "I was there for her! I loved her!" He screamed. "But it's your fault she died!" Eron stared at him cooly.
"I'm glad." Eron said. "That means I am ruler now."
"You're heartless!" Link jabbed at Eron's throat threateningly. "Fight me! I will kill you."
Eron unsheathed his sword with a satisfyingly sharp sound, and Link flew at him. His hits were fueled with hatred, but poorly blanned. Eron blocked every one of them.
"Temper, my friend." Eron used the blunt side of his sword to trip the other boy. He placed a foot on Link's chest. "I'll let you in on a little secret before I kill you," he said.
Link glared at him.
"I killed Zelda."
Link flew up again, rage boiling his blood. "I will kill you!" He yelled again, slashing Eron's blue tunic. Eron fought him for real now, for the first time regarding the fight with a hint of fear.
"Yes. I poisoned her – but it worked. I'm the king now. So obey me!" He had shoved Link back onto the edge of a cliff overlooking Lake Hylia. Link glared at him, and the hilts of the swords caught togerther with a click.
"Never!" Link screeched in fury, backing closer to the edge. The cliff was unsound, and the weight of both men was causing it to crumble. Link continued to step back, his expression a mix of joy and rage. There was a glint in his eye that Eron didn't like.
"You're mad!" Eron whispered. "If you do this, we'll both go over. We'll both die."
"That's the idea," Link growled.
Eron heaved Link over into a mud puddle, mainly to save his own life. Link tried to stand, but collapsed. Eron walked over and kicked him. Hard. "You're dangerous. You're crazy, and you know far too much. So I'm going to end it now."
Link glared at him defiantly. Zelda's words ran through his head: 'We will meet again, in another life.' "Kill me, then." He closed his eyes. As he had fallen, his sword had stuck into the earth, so he had no means of defense anyways.
Eron raised his sword. But as he did, the metal surface reflected a single beam of sunlight that was peering through the clouds. The last thing Link ever heard were the words that had never been spoken to him, plus something more. "Link, I love you too. Come. Join me here, where nothing can ever tear us apart again."
And Eron brought his sword down.
There is an old legend in Hyrule about how every beam of sunlight reflects the soul of a good person. They may wish to shine upon whomever or whatever they want.
There were two sunbeams that day, both shining on a single spot atop a hill. They shone onto the Master Sword, which stood there alone, the grave of a hero. They stayed that way until the sun set.
THE END