A/N: I am going to amuse myself so much with this. Be prepared for bucketfuls of angst.

Shiek's POV

Love. The subject of so many of the ramblings of men. I only add to the score, I suppose. What is love, if it is not death? Men write of love as if it is life. I disagree. Where there is love, there is heartbreak. Where there is love, the people are broken. Where there is love, there is a wretchedness.

I know. I loved. I love still. It brings me only despair.

But maybe I am confusing you. I will start from the beginning, then.

I still remember the first time I saw him. A boy like any other, except for the fact that he was beautiful in my eyes. I walked over and introduced myself. He said his name was Marth.

Marth.

I still remember how I savored that name. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to know where he was from, what events had shaped him to his present form, I wanted to know the name of his sword, and how he had acquired it. I wanted to know who he was behind those clear blue eyes.

But he walked away quickly after he told me his name.

He had seen her of course.

Everyone sees her. Everyone wants her. She is perfect. Who would not want her? The way she walks is so graceful, the way she talks is so witty and polished, the way she braids her hair is divine, the way she paints her lips is ravishing. She dances, she paints, she sings, she weaves, she embroiders, she flirts, she teases, and I have heard over and over how enchanting she is in bed.

Add the way she sparkles with gold and jewels, and you have the recipe for every man's dream.

Princess Zelda Hyrule, the fairest of women.

At the mention of her name alone, men find their pants become restrictive.

She did not, however, show much interest in Marth that day, and I began to hope. Maybe I could convince Marth to be mine. Zelda spent most of that day lavishing her attentions on a man called Snake, and another called Pit.

Marth seemed rather crest-fallen. If only he could know how much I wanted him to look at me. At every spare glance that fell in my vicinity, my heart would beat like that of a dove who flees the talons of the hawk. I had never known a man who affected me in such a way as this one.

I was so foolish. I allowed myself to hope that maybe, just maybe, I could crawl out of the shadow that Zelda cast over me. Maybe there was a man out there who would see past Zelda, and see me. I should not have allowed myself that hope. I only broke my own heart. Zelda shines like the sun; and like a flickering star, I am invisible next to her.

Over the next few weeks, Marth became my obsession. I learned everything about him that people would talk about. I followed him from the shadows whenever I could.

One day, I decided that it was time for me to meet him again.

I went out into the gardens, in a spot where I knew he walked every morning, before most of the others were awake. I waited on a bench until I spotted him coming my way. I got up, and slowly began walking in his direction, looking for all the world like I was only out to enjoy the serenity of the morning.

"Good morning," I nodded to Marth when he drew near enough.

"Good morning, I don't believe we've meet. I'm Prince Marth Lowell." He swept me a graceful bow, flourishing his cape behind him.

"I'm Shiek." I held out my hand, which he took and kissed. I was glad for my cowl right then, as I was blushing something fierce.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, madam." Marth smiled flirtatiously at me. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me in my walk about the garden?"

"With delight." I grinned and took his proffered arm.

I was in raptures for that walk. Marth flirted shamelessly with me the whole morning. He insisted that I eat lunch with him, not that I was complaining. He wanted to escort me everywhere, and I was not about to deny him. He was always smiling, cracking subtle jokes, making me feel beautiful.

When I went to bed that night, my head was spinning with happiness.

I woke the next morning a bit nervous. I was afraid that Marth might've tired of me. My fear was baseless, then. He was just as delightful, just as attentive.

It was official. I had fallen head over heals for this man.

Day after day, we were together. Marth was my life. I loved him more then I could say. He made me feel cleaver, beautiful, but most of all, he made me feel wanted. The way he looked at me like his life depended on me made me feel wonderful in a way I never had. He made me feel more wanted, needed, then Zelda could ever be. He made me feel like I meant something.

It was not too long before he had me in his bed. I am almost ashamed to say he was my first, when Zelda has been sleeping around since she was 15.

That night was easily the best of my life. Marth seemed to worship my body. He covered me in kisses and drowned me in pleasure. I had never felt so whole.

The next morning, I awoke terrified, thinking that now that Marth had taken me to bed, he would be uninterested in me. But Marth was there with his arm around me, kissing my bare shoulder, telling me how he had a wonderful time, and he hoped I had the same. I smiled as my heart overflowed with emotion for this man. I loved him.

For months we were together, and I was the happiest girl on the face of the planet.

But happiness never stays for long, especially the evanescent happiness born of love.

There came a day when Marth's smile was less sincere. His eyes began to wonder away from me. At first, his gaze was unfocused, but more and more, his eyes fixed upon Zelda. He began to spend less time with me, and I saw him more with her. Down in the courtyard, he would be sparring while Zelda watched and cheered him on, in the library, he would be reading to her, in the garden, he would be picking her flowers. I saw him slipping away from me, and I had no idea what to do.

I felt like I was slowly dying.

The worst was yet to come. I was in his bed, and he was inside me for the last time. He had been less distant in his love-making then he had been in a while. I thought that maybe he was getting over Zelda again.

How I was wrong; so terribly, terribly wrong.

He reached his climax, and he shouted her name.

My heart shattered into a million pieces right there.

I began to sob, and I pushed Marth off of me. I stumbled around his room collecting my clothes while Marth apologized. There was nothing he could say now. I saw then, thrust suddenly out of my happy daze, how foolish I had been thinking that I could compete with Zelda and win. I would never be anything next to her.

I stumbled to my room and sobbed into my pillow for hours.

I was a fool, such a fool. How could I ever think that I could mean anything to anyone? I who am nothing? And then I had the audacity to think that a man could ever want me more then Zelda. Zelda, who is beautiful; Zelda, who is graceful; Zelda, who knows all the right things to say; Zelda, who knows how to please a man best; Zelda, who is wanted.

Why would anyone take me over Zelda? There is no reason. No one would. I am a disgusting thing, and Zelda is dazzling. I am nothing, while Zelda is the world.

I am a fool; that is all I ever was, and all I ever will be again.

A/N: Inferiority complex, anyone? I have such plans to torture these poor characters. I started writing this as a random abstract, with no characters in mind at all, then I decided I liked it, and needed to anchor it to characters, and somehow I ended up with SSBB people. Don't ask how that happened. In later chapters (unbelievably, this is only Ch. 1) if I totally screw over Marth's characterization, I'm sorry. I've never played his game, and I refuse to read his Wiki page b/c I plan to play it at some point in the future. I needed someone shiny for Shiek pin her heart on, and Marth seemed to fit the best.

You do not know how much fun I will have reducing these people to tears. I am a terrible person;)

Gunnr