Tick tock, tick tock. The sound of the clock pierced the room like a knife, only emphasizing the silence. The seconds rolled by morphing into minutes. The single girl looked up from the letter full of emotion into the guy's face.
"What did you say?" She questioned in shock.
"What's your answer? Will you go out with me, Karane?"
"Um . . ." She paused for a moment to consider his proposition. Despite his lack of interest, all she could see was a messy-haired brunette knight. All he seemed to care about was his mother, Mallara and his position as a knight . . . but she couldn't go out with another guy. Not when her heart belonged to another. "I – "
"STOP!" A strong voice yelled over the banging of the doors. There was the true Prince Charming that had stolen her heart: tall, handsome, dedicated, and charismatic. A far cry from the pudgy shorty who had professed his love. "Karane, go out with me."
"Huh?" The brunette girl blushed a deep shade of crimson.
"I asked her first!" The first guy exclaimed. "Get lost, Pipit!"
"Karane, I love you. Please give me a chance." Pipit said seriously, meeting her eyes. Karane looked from one guy to another, utterly lost for words. It was true – Cawlin had asked her first. But Pipit – the noble knight – she had fantasized about dating him from the first day that they met! She had never given Cawlin a second glance.
"I – " Her lips opened to utter those words of rejection but they died on her lips. Cawlin was looking at her with such earnest eyes. He really did love her. Or at least he thought he did. She clenched her fists and hardened the walls that guarded the fortress of her heart. "I'm sorry, Cawlin. I – I love Pipit."
"I see." He responded, his words becoming dead. "What if I change? Would you love me then?"
"No." Karane replied gently. "I'm truly sorry, Cawlin."
"Do you truly love him? Or are you just taking the better offer because it came around?" A note of fury pierced into his voice.
"I love him." Karane said firmly, her eyes flashing with passion. Pipit's face was deathly serious, but a joyful light twinkled with his eyes.
"You better. I'll never come back. Good-bye Karane."
"Good-bye, Cawlin." With that, he gave her one last long rebuking look before he spun on his heels and exited the Knight's Academy corridor with Link, the emerald clad knight, closely behind him. The door slammed in their wake leaving the couple alone.
"You love me?" Karane questioned, her cheeks becoming rosy once again. "But why?"
"Because we've been through so much together. And we've always come out on top."
"But what about all those other girls? There's practically an armada of them dying to be with you!"
"I don't love them though. I love you." Karane blushed even more deeply at this profession of love. "You're a warm person. And you spread that warmth to everyone you touch."
"I – " Suddenly she was lost for words. She ran up to the knight that had stolen her heart and enveloped him in an impromptu embrace. At first he was stiff from surprise but he soon returned her hug. The two voyagers had finally braved the storm and arrived home. Now the hurricanes and rainbows of the future would be faced together.
Meanwhile, a broken hearted individual laid sprawled on his bed. A river of tears cascaded down his cheeks, wetting the pillow. He had risked it all – he had laid his heart in the words of the paper and sealed the envelope with his kisses. And for what?! REJECTION! What made that prissy knight so much better than him?! Why not him?! In his pain and fury, he didn't hear the quiet knocking on his door. It creaked open.
"Cawlin?" Link asked, sliding into the room. He rolled over in his bed and pretended to be asleep. "Hey. I'm sorry about the way it turned out."
"Why didn't you stop me when you had the chance?"
"I wanted to believe in you. I thought that if there was any chance, even if it was slim, it would be worth it. I wasn't counting on Pipit showing up."
"That ass." Cawlin growled, his voice muffled in his pillow. Link sighed, and stared off into space.
"Love is a game of chance. There's no way to know when you will lose it all or win everything."
"Link?"
"Yeah?"
"Why haven't we've ever been friends?"
"I dunno. Groose always picks fights with me and you and Stritch always back him, I guess."
"I guess so. Now get out of my room girly-man. I don't need your pity!" A gentle smile graced Link's lips as he exited the room. He walked slowly through the hallway, stopping at a familiar door. Zelda's room. He fruitlessly tried to open it but to no avail.
"I will save you." He whispered. With that, he wandered to his room.
Le fin
Thank you so much for reading. This story reads awkwardly at points, but it was based off true events, which is rather unfortunate, I think. I have an Instagram guys! If you have any interest in following me, DM me. I post cosplay pics, pictures of my dog, and other anime related things.