I know that we're not the same
But I'm so glad that we made it
To this time, this time, now
You got something I need
Yeah in this world full of people there's one killing me
And if we only die once I wanna die with you.
If we only die once I wanna die with you
If we only live once I wanna live with you.
One Republic – "Something I need"
The first time Link saw Princess Zelda again, it wasn't love at first sight. But, he found he was ok with that. Such sentimental thoughts were for girls, not men. Lust was another matter entirely. Lust he was familiar with. He knew what it meant when a woman watched a man intently. Her eyes, dark and smoky, never breaking contact. He, himself, had felt the soft caress of darkened eyes gently tracing the hard musculature of his upper body as he practiced with the other knights out in the yard. There were many women who would gather to watch the barely clad men clash swords in the bright early morning sun. The Princess was never among these appreciative females. In fact, she couldn't be bothered to even spare a glance at them.
Link was perfectly fine with that as well. He found this version of the Princess to be very different from the one he remembered. This one seemed to be nothing more than a spoiled, entitled bitch. Which, in a way, broke his heart. He could still remember the Princess he'd saved. That Princess had been completely different and, if he allowed himself to, he really missed her. It was worse at night. Not because he was alone, he rarely went to bed alone (something he was sure his Princess would have been appalled to learn). No, at night it was worse because that was when his memory would torment him with the images of what had been and what could have been. He would remember long conversations into the night he'd had with her while they hid from Ganondorf.
They'd gone briefly into hiding after she'd revealed herself to him in an attempt to keep Ganondorf from getting his hands on her. It hadn't lasted but the short reprieve had brought them closer in a very short time. When Ganondorf had finally taken Zelda, Link had gone after him with the singlemindedness that only a man in love could understand. Defeating Ganon had brought a sort of elation. He'd been so excited. He thought surely now he would be able to live in peace with Zelda by his side. He'd been sorely mistaken. Her guilt over stealing his life while he slumbered deep within the sacred realm had tormented her so much so that she wouldn't even consider letting him stay.
So he'd been sent back and years later, here he was. It should have killed him to see the woman he had loved once be so indifferent to him, but it didn't. Maybe it was because he felt nothing for this version of Zelda as well. She wasn't the woman whom he'd fallen in love with. Maybe, if he'd been given the chance, he could have found some part of the Zelda he remembered within this new shell but she didn't give him the chance. And to be perfectly honest, he didn't want it. His Zelda would always remain the unattainable dream. This one, this one could do as she pleased. He could care less what happened to her or…so he thought.
He hadn't exactly been happy when the King saddled him with the duty of watching his wayward daughter but he was at the King's disposal. So, if he wanted Link to trail his daughter and keep her safe, than trail her he would. To this day, how she managed to slip out without him noticing is still a mystery but it didn't take him long to pick up her trail. He'd almost caught up with her when she was roughly dragged into an alley in Kakariko.
The rage that filled him at seeing the two bandits man-handle Zelda wasn't all that surprising. Link would have gone to any woman's rescue given the situation. No Knight worth their salt would ever stand idly by while a woman was being attacked. However Link doubted many would have woven a tale pretending to be the woman's husband such as he had done. The words had tumbled from his mouth before he even realized what he was truly saying. Later, he might reflect on the why of his actions but in the heat of the moment? All he saw were violet eyes filled with so much relief at seeing him standing there that he didn't see this version of the Princess. He saw his Zelda shining out from those violet-hued eyes and nothing else mattered.
Dispatching those fools had been easy. They had no fighting prowess to speak of but he was more than a little miffed when he noticed Zelda had taken off. No doubt to try and complete whatever foolish plan she'd had in her mind. He knew she'd already been to Kakariko and couldn't really see what more there was to do here. That left Death Mountain. He sighed and rolled his shoulders. Well, there was no avoiding it really.
He caught up with her easily, two blocks later. Her body tensed as his arm snaked around her waist to pull her into the shadows. He tried to keep in mind the relieved look she'd given him at seeing him earlier but it was difficult. Maybe he would have had an easier time had she not run off again. Really, she was lucky it was him grabbing her and not someone else. So maybe that's why the first words out of his mouth sounded so snarky.
"Are you mad? Why the hell would you run off after what just happened?" As an afterthought, he tacked on. "Oh and thanks for the help back there."
"As if you needed my help." Her words were snarled at him from beneath the hood she'd yanked over her head. In her rush to get away, she'd taken the time to pull the hood over her head but not to straighten her tunic. Something she seemed to realize when Link's eyes unconsciously darted down. Folding her arms over her chest, she turned away. No doubt to fix her tunic.
He rolled his eyes –not that she could see it with her back turned. "Maybe not but maybe you would like to explain to me what you're doing out here in the middle of the night without an escort?"
She turned back to him, her eyes blazing with humiliation. "What does it matter now? You found me, so we might as well head back!"
She stomped by him, heading in the direction that would take her to the main gates. He caught her by the arm before she could get too far. The stubborn tilt of her chin, the defiant fire in her eyes, he recognized both from his Princess. Perhaps this one wasn't so different after all.
"Why?"
The stubborn look melted to confusion and her eyebrows lifted. "Why? What do you mean, why?"
"Your Father is sick with worry over your midnight escapades. Why are you so careless with your safety?"
Her shoulders tensed and her lips tightened into a thin line. "I am not careless. Tonight was a one off situation…"
"You're not answering my question."
She sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Not that it matters to you but I wanted to see the people whom I'm to rule. I want to understand their joys and their pain. How else am I to be a good ruler over this land if I do not understand the needs of my people?"
A cold chill ran down his back. Her answer was the same. He'd asked the same to his Princess when she refused to remain in hiding indefinitely. She wouldn't abandon her people. She had spent seven years living among them in hiding. Sharing in their joys and comforting them during the painful times. Her people had been her strength and had given her the courage needed to face Ganondorf. When she'd been encased in crystal, he'd screamed at her. Why? Why did she risk it all for a nation who'd forgotten she even existed?
Her answer, had been much the same. "I have seen my people struggle and I've seen them celebrate. I have also seen what they need and right now, they need their Princess back. They need to know I was never gone. Just waiting for my chance to become the ruler they need."
Everything she did came down to the people she would someday rule. Everything she did was with them in mind. His eyes shut and he let go of the breath he'd unknowingly been holding.
"Then you are going the wrong way."
She gave him a confused look and he shook his head with a rueful smile. "Your intent was to see Death Mountain, wasn't it?" He held out a hand to her. "Then let me be your guide. If it's the land you wish to see, I will take you."
Her eyes filled with wonder and the violet hues danced with a new light as she took a hold of his hand. With her hand in his, he was filled with a warmth he hadn't realized he'd been missing. It was completely unexpected, and he'd been forced to look a little deeper but he'd found her. In this time, in this place, he'd found the thing that had been missing from his life this whole time.
Turning to the dusty trail that would lead them up Death Mountain, he gave her hand a squeeze. He'd be sure to never lose her again.
A/N: Please excuse any grammar mistakes/typo's. I didn't proof this after I finished typing it out. This could easily be the companion piece to "Wild One" but obviously I've changed a few things. Frankly I like the one shot from Link's POV better. Sorry for the long absence and the lack of updates to By Your Side. Just haven't felt much inspiration lately. I have my outline but just haven't felt much like putting it into words. As always any reviews/feedback is always appreciated.